On Feb. 18, a 57-year-old man from Ridley Township filed a guilty plea to charges of sexual abuse of a minor female. This guilty plea was related to an alleged sexual assault the man committed in Maryland in August 2012 on a boat.
This man was facing a felony charge for sexual abuse of a child, and a trial for the case was scheduled to begin during the week of Feb. 18. However, the accused man entered a guilty plea for the felony charges he faces, and the case will now move on to sentencing.
Because of the man’s guilty plea in relation to the felony sexual abuse charge he faces, he may be sentenced to five to seven years of imprisonment. In addition, this felony conviction means that the man will have to register as a Tier III sex offender for the rest of his life under Megan’s Law. In Maryland, a conviction for child sex abuse may result in up to 25 years of imprisonment, but the assistant state district attorney has recommended a sentence of seven years of imprisonment followed by eight years of suspension. The court said he will not serve more than seven years behind bars.
The impact of a conviction on sexual abuse or sexual assault charges such as these can be considerable. In some cases, they may have a lifelong impact on the accused through imprisonment and registration as a sex offender. Individuals who are facing serious criminal charges such as these may reach out to a Maryland attorney for assistance with the case. The attorney may be able to fight for a reduced charge, for the charges to be dropped or for a lighter sentence if convicted.
Source: The Delaware County Daily Times, “Ridley man pleads in sex assault on juvenile female“, Cindy Scharr, February 18, 2014
