Man Sentenced After Sex Abuse Charge Dropped Per Plea Deal

By Larissa Atkins [former] - October 12, 2021
Court | Daily Stories | Juveniles | Probation | Sex Abuse | Suspects | Victims |

A DC Superior Court judge sentenced a man after his sex abuse charge was dismissed as part of a plea deal.

The 32-year-old defendant was initially charged with simple assault and first-degree child sex abuse. Both charges were in relation to the same victim, a teenage girl. In August, the defendant pleaded guilty to simple assault in exchange for the sex abuse charge being dropped.

DC Superior Court Judge Marisa Demeo sentenced the defendant to six months, all of which was suspended, followed by 18 months of supervised probation.

During the Oct. 8 sentencing hearing, the prosecution read a victim impact statement from the defendant’s mother, in which she wrote that she wants her son “locked away forever.” She called him a “woman beater” and stated that he has not taken responsibility for his mental health issues.

The prosecution said the defendant has an extensive record of violent crime and a history of assaulting women. They also expressed concern for the community’s safety.

Defense attorney Madalyn Harvey said she was taken aback by the prosecution’s characterization of her client. Still, she said she appreciates them giving him another chance. She called him, “not a bad person, but a person who struggles.”

Harvey also called the statements from the defendant’s mother “heartbreaking” since her client struggles with his mental health. She said he previously refused to take medication because it made him sleepy, and he was homeless at the time.

The prosecution went on to clarify that they do not believe the defendant is an inherently bad person, but are just worried about the safety of the community.

The defendant’s probation will be supervised by the mental health unit of the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency. Conditions of his probation include participating in a domestic violence intervention program, a mental health screening and evaluation and drug testing.