MONROE - An 18-year-old entered a plea deal Thursday on felony charges that he exposed himself to a preteen girl in 2016.
Anthony Daniel Mercado, Monticello, pleaded no contest in Green County Circuit Court to two Class I felony counts of exposing genitals to a child.
A Class B felony charge of first-degree sexual assault involving sexual contact with a child younger than 13 and another related felony charge were dismissed as part of the plea deal.
Assistant District Attorney Laura Kohl noted, however, that the facts of these dismissed counts can be considered.
Mercado's sentencing is set for March 22.
Judge Thomas Vale ordered a pre-sentence investigation (PSI) of Mercado from the Department of Corrections, with a due date of March 2. A PSI is an investigation into the criminal and personal history of the convicted person and is intended as a guide for the judge on extenuating circumstances that may affect sentencing.
According to the criminal complaint, the preteen girl said she was sleeping when Mercado, genitals exposed, pulled her shorts and underwear down and attempted to grope her.
"She yelled at him," according to the criminal complaint. In response, Mercado retreated and locked himself in the residence's bathroom.
The girl told an investigator that Mercado had not attempted to sexually assault her before or after the incident, although he had, on occasion, watched her and another girl in bed and touched their legs.
When police questioned Mercado, he admitted that everything happened as the girl described.
State court records show no prior criminal history for Mercado.
- Katjusa Cisar
Anthony Daniel Mercado, Monticello, pleaded no contest in Green County Circuit Court to two Class I felony counts of exposing genitals to a child.
A Class B felony charge of first-degree sexual assault involving sexual contact with a child younger than 13 and another related felony charge were dismissed as part of the plea deal.
Assistant District Attorney Laura Kohl noted, however, that the facts of these dismissed counts can be considered.
Mercado's sentencing is set for March 22.
Judge Thomas Vale ordered a pre-sentence investigation (PSI) of Mercado from the Department of Corrections, with a due date of March 2. A PSI is an investigation into the criminal and personal history of the convicted person and is intended as a guide for the judge on extenuating circumstances that may affect sentencing.
According to the criminal complaint, the preteen girl said she was sleeping when Mercado, genitals exposed, pulled her shorts and underwear down and attempted to grope her.
"She yelled at him," according to the criminal complaint. In response, Mercado retreated and locked himself in the residence's bathroom.
The girl told an investigator that Mercado had not attempted to sexually assault her before or after the incident, although he had, on occasion, watched her and another girl in bed and touched their legs.
When police questioned Mercado, he admitted that everything happened as the girl described.
State court records show no prior criminal history for Mercado.
- Katjusa Cisar