Judge Keeps Plea Offer Open for Child Sex Abuse Defendant 

By Ashley Brown [former] - October 3, 2022
Court | Daily Stories | Sex Abuse | Sexual Assault |

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo provided a child sex abuse defendant and his attorney with additional time to consider a plea offer the defendant said he did not understand.

The 34-year-old defendant is charged with second-degree child sex abuse for his alleged sexual conduct with two minors on Aug. 8, in a shower room of a public pool located on the 1800 block of Anacostia Road, SE.

During a Sept. 30 hearing, the prosecution presented a plea deal for second-degree child-sex abuse. If the defendant took the deal, the prosecution would remove any additional charges and exempt him from delivering a statement to the court.

According to court documents, Jones allegedly entered a shower with two minor boys in the bathroom of a pool where he caressed one of their backs, and then proceeded to place his hand beneath the same boy’s underwear.

Court documents also state that the defendant allegedly approached the other boy and asked to rub soap on both of their backs. He then exposed his genitals and started rubbing that area in front of the boys.

The prosecution proposed the plea offer before Jones and his defense attorney, Donna Beasley, but the defendant interjected, stating, “I don’t understand these fancy words.”

In response, Judge Demeo ordered that the plea deal stay open until parties reconvene, giving Beasley time to explain its meaning to the defendant.

The defendant is currently released under the specialized supervision unit of the pretrial services agency. The unit provides supervision to defendants with mental illness, mild mental retardation and/or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, according to the agency’s website. As part of the defendant’s release, he also has a stay away order.

Parties are scheduled to return to court on Oct. 14.