A former sergeant with the Isle of Wight County Sheriff’s Deputy Tuesday pleaded no contest to six counts of sexual abuse for having sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl between September 2009 and January 2010.

The no contest plea means Ronald Carwile, who resigned from the sheriff’s department on June 15, will not contest the charges, but still maintains his innocence.

“I maintain my innocence and enter the plea because it’s in my best interest (to do so),” Carwile told Judge Robert O’Hara.

Carwile, of Franklin, will serve four months in jail as a result of the plea deal and 10 years probation. Carwile is prohibited from working in law enforcement.

Defense attorney Jack Randall said Carwile’s 3-year-old son weighed heavily on his decision to enter the plea.

“He has vehemently denied any sexual abuse, inappropriate touching or criminal activity,” Randall said. “To this day he has denied these allegations.”

Randall said the prosecution had no forensic evidence to suggest the crimes even took place.

Fairfax County Comm-onwealth’s Attorney Kim White said records show there were text messages of a “sexual nature” sent from the phone number of the phone belonging to the defendant to the phone number of the phone belonging to the victim.

Randall told the court that Carwile disputes that he sent those messages.

White said the victim, who did not wish to testify in the case and “wanted to put the matter behind her,” is currently in a foster home in another jurisdiction.

He will not serve his time at Western Tidewater Regional Jail because of safety concerns related to his involvement with police work.