[SauronOfMordor]

Sounds like the records were sealed and Ritter was put on probation. He went through probation w/o repeating the offense (at least not that we or the court knows of) and the case/records were later espunged, ie, as if it never happend.

I'm no lawyer, but it seems that's what happened or something similar. Similar scenarios are often accorded to first-time offender with no previous records. But Ritter is known to have committed this offense twice. So....

If the second offense happened after the records of the first offense were expunged, then the court would not have found out about the first offense, and would have treated the new offense as a "first offense"

[The Great Satan]

If I understand correctly, there was no charge the first time -- the cops just gave him a talking to. He copped a plea after the second incident, taking counseling in exchange for having the charge expunged from his record.