Hutchinson ? The mother-in-law of former Trego County Sheriff Ryan Bloom has pleaded guilty to helping keep her granddaughter out of state so the girl couldn’t testify about being molested by her adoptive father.

Barbara Johnson pleaded guilty Thursday to one felony count of aggravated intimidation of a witness.

In return for the plea, prosecutors agreed not to seek an upward departure from sentencing guidelines, making it likely that Johnson would get probation.

She was released on a $5,000 signature bond and is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 12.

Her daughter, Jessica Bloom, pleaded guilty last month to aiding a felon and conspiracy to aid a felon.

She will be sentenced Dec. 15.

Ryan Bloom, the former Trego County sheriff who also taught at the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center, was convicted in October on one count each of rape and lewd and lascivious behavior and six counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Also Thursday, Reno County Magistrate Judge Joe McCarville lifted an order barring contact between Johnson and Bloom or her children. However, McCarville ordered Johnson not to talk with the children about the case.

“Children have a hard enough time being children, and these kids don’t have the mental gymnastic ability to deal with everything that’s going on in their lives,” McCarville said. “Talking to them about this case will amount to psychological child abuse.”