Posted on 10/19/2005 5:13:07 AM PDT by texianyankee
A 20-year-old Franklin man accused of sexually assaulting two sisters who were living with his family was sentenced Tuesday to six years' deferred adjudication probation.
Lucas Jerald Pickering was indicted in August 2004 on five counts of sexual assault of a child and four counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact, all felonies.
Those charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement, officials with the Robertson County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday. Instead, Pickering pleaded guilty to a single charge of injury to a child, a third-degree felony.
He also apologized to the sisters and acknowledged in court that the offenses were "nonconsensual."
Pickering and his father, James Pickering, had been accused of sexually assaulting the sisters, then minors, over several years. The sisters - nieces of the elder Pickering - had moved in with the family after their parents died.
James Pickering was indicted in August 2004 on five counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, five counts of sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact. He was sentenced in May to concurrent eight-year prison terms after pleading guilty to two counts of indecency with a child.
As part of Lucas Pickering's plea agreement, he will be required to serve 90 consecutive days in the Robertson County Jail and undergo psychological testing, officials with the District Attorney's Office said.
If he fails to comply with the conditions of his probation, he could be sentenced to 10 years in prison, the full penalty allowed for injury to a child.
This article doesnt give enough details, but it sounds like this guy wont even have to register as a "sex offender."
Unbelievable.
I believe it. Hell, its downright predictable at this point.
Ping
I watched O'Reilly last night - he had another segment on someone getting a light sentence for sexual assault of a child....
I'm gonna email O'Reilly about this case. He needs to hear about this.
This case was heard in Robertson County - I dont know about this judge but I do know Robertson County has had local govt problems in the past.
Heck, they were one of the few Texas counties that voted for Gore over Dubya.
I'd like to go slap around the prosecutor who brokered this deal. Unless the defendant had some information in another case in exchange for a lighter sentence, I can't for the life of me understand how any DA could go for something like this. If there is no valid reason for this deal, let's hope the voters remember next time this D.A. is up for re-election.
I mentioned the judge - but you are so correct, the DA has to be held accountable, too!
I recall a case a few years ago where a guy robbed a bank, but in the middle, just stopped and said he could do it, and asked them to call the police.
He put up no defense and the judge sentenced him to a minimum of 20 years.
Also a few years ago, I was listening to a Panama City TV station and a supermarket manager was viciously beaten, nearly to death. It turned out the Robber was one of the people convicted only a few years prior to a widely publicized tourist murder and was already out on parole to murder again.
The DA and Judge should be tarred and feathered.. 1 for making this deal.. and the other for accepting it.....
Maybe their children or grandchildren need to be victims for them to take this sort of thing seriously.
I am not sure but does this mean he only gets to serve 90 days.
Those girls have a life sentence, child abuse never leaves you.
I of course meant to say he "couldn't do it" not "could do it".
I understand your anger but never say that.
He might not have had enough evidence to convict. DAs are like that.
Well this, of course, explains the leniency of the "judge's" sentence.
The death penalty needs expansion.
You got it. I see this all the time in my line of work. It doesn't matter how hard the community, law enforcement, investigators and child advocates work to get these people prosecuted and it doesn't even matter if there are detailed confessions; as soon as it hits the "prosecutor's" office and they start doing their dirty deals behind closed doors with the enthusiastic defenders of perverts, justice makes a quick exit, and with it the safety of the children in the community.
I wonder if the D.A. thought he couldn't get a conviction because the man was under 21, and the girls (perhaps) in their teens as well? It sure is a light sentence, when you consider the charges originally filed.
The majority of these perps never see a jury.
I can't understand these type of cases where they are allowed to plead-bargin. Especially when it involves children. Isn't Oprah currently doing Friday shows on enforcing laws. They should pressure Judge so community is aware of sentencing.
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