SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) -- A member of a Sheboygan church youth group band has been convicted on a child sexual assault charge.
19-year-old Clayton Michener reached a plea deal with prosecutors, and pleaded no contest to one count of sexual assault of a child under the age of 16. A second count of sexual assault of a child under the age of 13 was dismissed but read into the record.
Assistant District Attorney Joel Urmanski says the plea deal was worked out ahead of a jury trial scheduled this week. "This was not, from my standpoint, a case that was 'Is this going to be a jury trial or not?' Although defense could have asked for one, they still had that right. But it was, what is appropriate for this individual who is very young, who has no prior record, but was involved in very serious adult behavior?"
Urmanski says he is going to ask the judge for a two year prison sentence. "My consideration is that, for punishment, for rehabilitation, to let the community know that this is not going to be tolerated, the appropriate response, at least the appropriate recommendation, is for a prison recommendation." He'll also be asking for eight years on extended supervision at sentencing. Michener will be back in court for that sentencing on August 30th.
According to a criminal complaint, a pastor at City Church called police in April after a parent had reported that a youth pastor had been molesting girls. The church started its own investigation, and found that Michener was their suspect instead. Church officials also released a statement saying that Michener was never a member of staff, and that he was only a member of the church band.
Police interviewed the victims, who reported that Michener had come to them to start the sexual contact. He allegedly brought one of them to a movie theater parking lot to have sex while the other victim was allegedly assaulted at the church.
During an interview with Michener, he allegedly confessed, and told police he'd started having sex with the girls because he'd broken up with his girlfriend.