Former Lincoln youth director sentenced to prison

Former Lincoln youth director Joe Ballard has been sentenced for sexually assaulting three boys while he was their coach.

Ballard was sentenced 34 to 50 years in prison.  He is eligible for parole in 17 years.  Last month, he pled no contest to first-degree sexual assault and two counts of third-degree sexual assault of a child and was found guilty of the charges.    

He was sentenced to 30 to 40 years for first degree sexual assault.  For two counts of 3rd degree sexual assault of a child, he received two to five years for each count, to be served consecutively.

A police investigation led to Ballard's arrest in February after several boys told police he had molested them during overnight stays.  Court documents say Ballard touched them inappropriately during overnight stays at his home in 2008 when they were 12.  They were members of basketball teams he coached.

Ballard was also the director of Project Youth in Lincoln, a support group for underprivileged kids.