Posted: 12/14/04
Carter pleads guilty to sexual assault
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Timothy Allen Carter pled guilty to first degree criminal sexual conduct in Third District Court on December 13.
The plea bargain came exactly a week after his attorney asked that charges be dismissed.
Carter, 27, had been charged with with two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree for allegedly having sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13 in Caledonia last August.
The first count, which was based on the victim being under age 13 and Carter being at least 36 months older than her, was dropped.
The second count was for an assault involving, force, coercion, and physical injury.
The plea agreement requests a prison sentence of 72 months, which is half of the length of time recommended in sentencing guidelines.
The agreement made sense for two reasons, according to Houston County Attorney Rick Jackson. It eliminates the uncertainty of winning the trial, and it keeps the victim from having to testify.
The victimís family is in agreement with the plea agreement, Jackson added.
ìI think this was a good resolution,î he said.
Sentencing before Judge James Fabian will be on January 10.
The incident occurred after the Houston County Fair had ended on Sunday night, August 22. Carter had been working in a midway stand at the fair.
He met the victim downtown, and raped her while they took a walk.
Carter has a driverís license listing his address as Brooksville, Florida. He told the court at his arraignment that he owned a home in New Mexico, and he told a witness that he was from Texas.
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