Child Sex Abuse Defendant Offered Plea Deal

By Caleigh Bartash [former] - March 11, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Suspects | Victims |

A prosecutor extended a plea offer to a man facing multiple child sex abuse charges.

The 23-year-old defendant is accused of sexually abusing two girls in their Brightwood home when they were 5 years old and 7 years old. He is charged with two counts of first-degree child sex abuse and one count of second-degree child sex abuse but has not yet been indicted.

During a March 10 hearing, the prosecutor disclosed the terms of the plea deal, which she sent to the defense the previous day. If accepted, the defendant would plead guilty to one count of second-degree child sex abuse and one count of attempted second-degree child sex abuse. In return, the prosecutor would not seek to include aggravating factors that could enhance the defendant’s sentence, such as the victims being less than 12 years old.

Defense attorney Julie Swaney said she briefly discussed the plea deal with her client, but they would need a few weeks to make a decision. The offer is set to expire on April 14. 

The defendant was released into home confinement under the High Intensity Supervision Program in February. The Pretrial Services Agency reported that he has been compliant with all his release conditions.

Swaney asked Judge Maribeth Raffinan to lift her client’s home confinement order. The prosecution opposed any reduction of release conditions.

“The only way to ensure the safety of the community is to ensure he has no contact with children,” the prosecutor said.

Judge Raffinan said the home confinement could end after 30 days of compliance but he would remain on GPS monitoring and have a curfew. The defendant also must follow multiple no-contact orders, including one barring contact with anyone less than 18 years old.

The defendant’s next hearing is set for April 18.