A 26-year-old Odessa man who was facing a felony charge for allegedly hitting a youth in the face on November 8 plead guilty to amended charges.

According to a probable-cause statement, authorities were dispatched to investigate an alleged assault. When authorities arrived, a witness claimed that William Jay Ellingworth had struck her 5-year-old child in the face with a belt after Ellingworth was awaken by the children playing “too loud”. The woman also claimed that Ellingworth struck her when she intervened.

Ellingworth was originally charged with a Class D Felony for Abuse or Neglect of a Child and a misdemeanor for domestic assault. The court amended the charges. On April 21, Ellingworth withdrew his not guilty plea and pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of Domestic Assault in the Fourth Degree.

The Court ordered Ellingworth to 90-days in jail. His sentence was suspended and Ellingworth was placed on two-years probation.