A Knoxville man has agreed to a plea agreement which could keep him behind bars for the next 30 years. Rocky Wooldridge, 49, of Knoxville was arrested in March following an investigation concerning a child in his care. Investigators say the youth had not been allowed to leave the house for months, had received multiple injuries, and was staying in a room covered in plastic sheeting with Pull-Ups and wet underwear present. According to court documents filed this past August, a social worker visited the Wooldridges’ home and found a motion detector system that sounded an alarm and flashed lights whenever the child got out of bed. A baby gate was also installed on the child’s door and it is alleged that Rocky’s wife Jennifer Wooldridge would tie the gate shut.

Wooldridge was originally charged with child endangerment, child endangerment with serious injury and possession of a firearm as a felon. His wife 43-year-old Jennifer Wooldridge was also arrested and charged with multiple acts of child endangerment, and neglect of a dependent person. In May a felony charge of kidnapping was added for both Rocky and Jennifer Wooldridge. 

On Monday, Rocky Wooldridge agreed to plead guilty to two counts of child endangerment and two counts of neglect of a dependent person. Each count comes with a maximum sentence of ten years in prison. Both sides have agreed to three of the four counts running consecutively.

The plea comes in exchange for his wife Jennifer’s charges being downgraded to one count of child endangerment without injury and she will receive a suspended sentence. Rocky Wooldridge is scheduled to be sentenced November 21st.