Kentucky Woman Pleads Guilty to Rape Charges; Agrees to Deal
A high school attendance secretary reached a deal for a three-year sentence after agreeing to a guilty plea for third-degree rape and sodomy charges for engaging in sexual acts with a 15 year-old student.
June 16, 2011
Kentucky Woman Pleads Guilty to Rape Charges; Agrees to DealLate in May of this year a Kentucky woman who worked as an attendance secretary for a high school reached a plea deal after admitting to one charge of third-degree rape and four charges of third-degree sodomy involving a fifteen year-old student. The woman, 37, admitted after her arrest to having sexual intercourse and oral sex with the underage student. The state recommended the minimum sentence of one year of jail time for each count. However, two of the sentences will run concurrently, so the woman will serve a total of three years in jail with the possibility of parole. If the case had gone to trial, a jury could have convicted her to a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
She will also be required to undergo treatment and register as a sex offender.
The woman was arrested in February of 2011, but the judge had not given jail time while awaiting sentencing because the woman is in a wheelchair. However, during her grand jury indictment she was specifically ordered to not contact the victim while awaiting her formal sentencing. She violated the judge's orders by contacting the victim through a Facebook message that was found by the victim's mother. Formal sentencing is set for July 7.
Sex Crime Sentencing
In Kentucky, rape in the third degree and sodomy in the third degree are a Class D felonies. They carry a maximum sentence of five years. However, forcible rape is considered first-degree rape, and can carry a sentence of up to 20 years in jail.
First-time offenders convicted of a Class A felony -- the most severe classification stemming from a sex crime -- can bring up to 50 years in jail.
Seek an Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney
If accused of a sex crime, the penalties the alleged perpetrator faces can be severe. If you are charged with a sex crime, consult an experienced criminal defense attorney. A lawyer can fight to prove your innocence in case you are falsely accused. A criminal defense attorney can also negotiate a lower sentence with prosecutors in return for a guilty plea, as occurred in this case.
Article provided by Fox & Scott PLLC
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