Man gets 10 years for sex abuse after admitting crime on phone

On Behalf of | Sep 16, 2014 | Sexual Abuse

A Maryland man who admitted to molesting an area woman thirty years ago has received a 10-year sentence in prison in connection with the allegations. The man was accused of sexually molesting a victim from the time she was seven years old; she was a member of the swim team he coached. He also served as her babysitter. The victim alleged that she had been subject to sexual abuse for five years in the 1980s, when the defendant was in his 20s.

It may seem surprising that a 30-year-old sexual abuse case could be prosecuted with such a serious outcome, but statutes of limitation do not always prevent this type of prosecution. News reports show that the woman decided to seek help from police officers decades after her experience. They reportedly treated the case just like the abuse had occurred “the day before,” according to the victim.

A key detail in the case: Police officers listened in on a phone call the woman made to the alleged offender. He admitted that he had abused her, and he then described the attacks in detail. The 53-year-old man may have faced a very different legal outcome if he had not so readily confessed to the alleged violations.

Sex crimes cases often turn into a case of “he said, she said,” without substantial physical evidence. Those who are facing allegations of sexual abuse or molestation may benefit from the assistance of an experienced defense attorney, as no two cases are exactly alike. The defendant in this case had a spotless criminal record until he admitted to committing the crime. Defendants should know their legal rights before commenting on any aspect of a sexual abuse case, even in an informal setting.

Source: WTOP, “Md. woman relives painful childhood abuse by swim coach” Mike Murillo, Sep. 12, 2014

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