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Woman charged with sexual contact
YOUNGSTOWN
A Struthers woman has entered into a plea agreement and will be sentenced at a later date for crimes associated with sexual contact with a mentally challenged man in her care.
Lorrie Dial, 38, of 6th Street, appeared before Judge Maureen Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court with her attorney Paul Conn.
Dial originally was charged with two counts of rape, gross sexual imposition and sexual battery. In an agreement reached Wednesday, she pleaded guilty to one count of sexual battery and gross sexual imposition.
Dial could face up to 61/2 years in prison at the time of sentencing and $15,000 in fines. Prosecutors, in accordance with the plea agreement, however, will recommend a sentence of probation.
Judge Sweeney will sentence Dial after the court conducts a a pre-sentence investigation.
Carla Baldwin Fields, an assistant county prosecutor, said charges against Dial stem from incidents in 2010 when Dial had sexual contact with a mentally challenged man who was a resident at a care facility where Dial was an employee
Fields said the sexual contact took place at an area hotel when Dial would take the man on outings.
Fields said prosecutors decided to enter into the plea agreement after an evaluation determined that Dial’s mental capacity is only a few points higher than the mentally challenged man she assaulted.
The prosecutor also said the plea agreement saves the victim from having to recount the assault in court.
Fields said a priority was to make sure that Dial no longer could work with the mentally challenged. She said the felony conviction, and a requirement that Dial register as a sex offender, will mean that she no longer can work in that field.