Defendant on Probation for Sex Abuse to be Released from Jail

By D.C. Witness Staff - February 1, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Homicides | Probation | Suspects | Victims |

A DC Superior Court judge released and continued the hearing of a defendant who is on probation for  sex abuse. He also, recently, picked up a domestic violence case.

In October, the defendant was sentenced to six months, fully suspended, plus two years of supervised probation for misdemeanor sex abuse of a child or minor. Once he completed a sex offender program, the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) could petition for his probation to be terminated early.

However, towards the end of December, the defendant was rearrested and charged with simple assault and second-degree theft in a domestic violence case. He received a notice of noncompliance with his probation stemming from the arrest and an allegation that he violated a stay away order. 

The defendant was granted pretrial release for the domestic violence case, but was detained at DC Jail for the probation case.

During the Feb. 1 proceeding, defense attorney Roderick Thompson suggested that his client’s probation could be terminated as unsuccessful, or he could be released so his probation case could trail his new case.

Thompson said his client has been otherwise cooperative with his probation, having come back into compliance with his requirement to receive sex offender treatment and paying the fee he owed to the Victims of Violent Crime (VVC) compensation fund. 

A CSOSA officer said it would take about two to three months for the defendant to finish the sex offender treatment program, if he is compliant.

“We can still work with him if he wishes to continue his probation,” the officer said.

The prosecutor also said she wants the defendant to continue treatment, but said the re-arrest was troubling.

The prosecutor said the prosecution is not yet prepared to present facts around the new arrest. The judge said that, because of this, he could not go forward with discussing probation revocation during the hearing.

Judge Fisher ultimately decided to schedule a hearing that comes close to what would be the probation termination date, at which time he’ll take another look at the defendant’s probation. That hearing is scheduled for April 9.

In the meantime, the defendant could continue the treatment program. Judge Fisher told the defendant that he should be getting released from DC Jail later today or on Feb. 2.