Sex offender gets 3 years in prison
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
A 28-year-old Austintown man has been sentenced to three years in prison after he pleaded guilty to gross sexual imposition against a 5-year-old girl.
Danny Wilhelm, of Riblett Road, received the sentence Monday from Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.
The offense occurred between Jan. 1 and Feb. 8, 2014, according to the indictment issued by the county grand jury Dec. 11, 2014.
The prosecution dropped a rape count that could have resulted in a life prison term and another gross sexual imposition count in the plea deal.
The three-year prison term is nonappealable because it was agreed to by the prosecution and defense and adopted by the judge.
Jennifer McLaughlin, an assistant county prosecutor, said she would oppose early judicial release.
After prison, Wilhelm will be on probation for five years and have to register as a sex offender every six months for 25 years.
McLaughlin said she made the deal because she and the girl’s mother thought reaching a plea agreement that included prison time was better than putting the victim through the ordeal of testifying during a trial.
“A nonprison sentence would demean the seriousness of the offense,” Judge Durkin said. “It would not adequately protect the public or punish the defendant,” he said before imposing the definite sentence of three years in prison.
Wilhelm did not address the judge during the seven-minute sentencing hearing.