Published: July 22, 2008 10:55 pm            

Judge rejects repeat sex offender plea

Dillman remains jailed on a $200,000 bail

A plea bargain that would have given a convicted child molester 10 years in prison on two sexual misconduct charges was rejected by Howard Superior Court 2 Judge Stephen Jessup this week.

Jessup stated the plea in the case against David Dillman, 30, Kokomo, was too lenient.

Jessup made his decision Monday, a day before a possible sentencing hearing in the case.

The plea called for Dillman to plead guilty to the two B felony counts and receive 20 years for each, with 10 years suspended, five years of in-home detention and five years of probation. The two counts also would run concurrent for a total of 10 years executed.

Jessup rejected the plea, then set a pretrial hearing for Sept. 23 and a jury trial for Oct. 1 in the case.

Kokomo police arrested Dillman, a registered sex offender, in November for allegedly having sex with two 14-year-old girls in June 2007 at two different residences.

His arrest came five years after being released from prison for child molest, according to the Indiana Department of Correction.

Dillman, 29, is being held at the Howard County jail on a $200,000 bail.

Howard County Prosecutor James Fleming and Dillman’s attorney, David Rosselot, filed the recommended plea in May.

Ten years ago, Kokomo police arrested Dillman on four counts of child molest for forcing a then-7-year-old girl to have intercourse and oral sex. Dillman initially was charged in Howard Circuit Court in 1997 with four counts of child molest, two Class B and Class C felonies.

He pleaded guilty to one of the C felony offenses and was sentenced to six years in prison. He was released in November of 2002 and is a registered sex offender.

If convicted on the recent charges, he could face up 20 years in prison on each charge.

Mike Fletcher may be reached at (765) 454-8565 or via e-mail at mike.fletcher@kokomotribune.com

        

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