Trial set for Creston man charged with child molestation

DAVENPORT – Mathew Scott Chafin, 31, of Creston, has a jury trial date and sentencing set for March 30 to determine his sentence after he pled guilty to child molestation in the first degree.

Chafin originally entered a guilty plea Dec. 15 with a jury trial date set March 20 and readiness status set for Feb. 16, according to Lincoln County Superior Court records. At that Feb. 16 court appearance, a mental evaluation was approved, which will take 40 days and will take place while Chafin is held in Lincoln County Jail, where he was re-booked that day and remains.

Chafin was arrested and booked into jail following his Feb. 16 court appearance by Deputy Luke Mallon, according to records provided by the Sheriff’s Department. Mallon was summoned to Superior Court immediately following Chafin’s appearance to take Chafin into custody, records show.

The sentencing hearing was moved to March 30 because the mental evaluation will take up to 40 days.

Chafin was originally arrested and booked on the charge of child molestation in the first degree Dec. 11, 2020. At his Dec. 15 appearance, he was ordered to have no contact with anyone under the age of 16 years old for one year, according to county clerk records.

The child molestation charge carries a standard range of 51 to 68 months imprisonment, but has a maximum of a life sentence with a $50,000 fine.