Don Pedro Phillips, a 29-year-old man from Reading, Mich., was charged and pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal sexual conduct involving a 13-year-old minor at his arraignment hearing Sept. 4.
The first count was punishable with a maximum sentence of 15 years in jail. The second count was punishable for up to a maximum sentence of five years in jail. Both penalties require mandatory testing for HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Phillips recounted the event in detail during the arraignment.
On Feb. 14 of this year, he claims he “hung out at her mom’s with her whole family.” He and the mother had apparently been drinking and both ended up passed out on the mother’s bed.
Phillips claims that the minor initiated the encounter.
“I was stupid. I didn’t really think,” he said.
Hillsdale County Prosecutor Neal Brady offered Phillips a plea bargain that would drop the first charge and would not pursue other leads that have been brought forth by the involved minor. Phillips accepted the plea bargain, though he will still be required to register as a sex offender.
Phillips is currently on probation for possession of marijuana. It was not made clear how this would affect his sentencing, though it is possible he may get longer jail time because of a potential probation violation.
After being deemed “not a flight risk” because of his attendance at all required court hearings, Phillips is being allowed to continue working his full time job until his sentencing on Oct. 1 at 8:30 a.m.
kdrapkin@hillsdale.edu