Sex Abuse Defendant Enters Guilty Plea

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Despite concerns about the length of the maximum sentence, a defendant pleaded guilty to second-degree child sex abuse during a Nov. 1 status hearing.

Allen Davis, 60, was charged on May 4 with the second-degree child sex abuse. He was indicted in August for kidnapping and obstruction of justice. According to court documents, he touched his 7-year-old niece’s vulva some time between Nov. 1 and Nov. 15, 2018, at her residence on the 800 block of Chesapeake Street, NE.

The incident was first reported on Nov. 15, 2018.

When interviewed, the child said she felt sad and “did not want her mother to be mad at her,” according to court documents. Her mother reportedly knew that Davis was a registered sex offender, and downplayed the incident, saying, “don’t run your mouth.”

At the Tuesday hearing, Davis confirmed to DC Superior Court Judge Robert Okun that the prosecutor had a winning case against him, and he planned to plead guilty.

As part of his plea, the prosecutor agreed to dismiss the kidnapping and obstruction charges, and not indict on any further charges related to the incident. She also agreed to recommend a sentence on the lower end of the guidelines. The sentence duration, at most, would be halfway between the minimum and maximum term lengths according to the guidelines.

Judge Okun noted that the maximum sentence recommended under guidelines was ten years, though he did not know the minimum. When he asked Davis if he understood the conditions, he said he did.

But, Davis asked, referring to the ten year maximum, “why so long in jail?”

Judge Okun reiterated that the maximum would not be recommended, saying, “I can say with some certainty that it’s not going to be ten years.”

Davis entered the guilty plea and Judge Okun accepted.

Parties are scheduled to return to court for a sentencing hearing on Jan. 26, 2023.