Wednesday, August 27, 2008
News
Man pleads guilty to child sex charge
By DOMINIC ADAMS Argus-Press Staff Writer
CORUNNA - An Owosso man admitted he took pictures of a 9-year-old girl's breasts while she was changing.
Sampson J. Irish, 26, said he snapped two photographs of the girl, who is the daughter of a family he was staying with at the time.
Irish faced seven felonies and was set for trial Tuesday in Shiawassee County Circuit Court.
Shiawassee County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Sara Edwards said she struck a deal with defense attorney Gordon Hoy about 8 p.m. Monday.
Edwards dropped six counts of possession of child sexually abusive material in exchange for Irish's guilty plea before Circuit Court Judge Gerald Lostracco Tuesday.
“I walked into the bedroom when she was changing and took the picture,” Irish told the court.
Lostracco wanted specifics on where the incident took place.
“This is a room, her bedroom, where she had an expectation of privacy,” Lostracco told Irish.
Irish said he deleted the pictures of the girl's unclad breasts later in the day.
The surveilling an unclothed person charge carries a two-year prison sentence and or $2,000 in fines.
Irish also must undergo sex offender treatment and register as a sex offender.
“Basically, I had to cater because I wanted the sex offender registry,” Edwards said. “I wanted him treated like a sex offender.”
Edwards said Lostracco planned to combine the six charges of possession of child sexually abusive material charges into one charge.
Irish will be in court Sept. 26 for sentencing.
- Contact Dominic Adams at 725-5136 extension 239 or by e-mail at dadamsarguspress@gmail.com.
Sampson J. Irish, 26, said he snapped two photographs of the girl, who is the daughter of a family he was staying with at the time.
Irish faced seven felonies and was set for trial Tuesday in Shiawassee County Circuit Court.
Shiawassee County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Sara Edwards said she struck a deal with defense attorney Gordon Hoy about 8 p.m. Monday.
Edwards dropped six counts of possession of child sexually abusive material in exchange for Irish's guilty plea before Circuit Court Judge Gerald Lostracco Tuesday.
“I walked into the bedroom when she was changing and took the picture,” Irish told the court.
Lostracco wanted specifics on where the incident took place.
“This is a room, her bedroom, where she had an expectation of privacy,” Lostracco told Irish.
Irish said he deleted the pictures of the girl's unclad breasts later in the day.
The surveilling an unclothed person charge carries a two-year prison sentence and or $2,000 in fines.
Irish also must undergo sex offender treatment and register as a sex offender.
“Basically, I had to cater because I wanted the sex offender registry,” Edwards said. “I wanted him treated like a sex offender.”
Edwards said Lostracco planned to combine the six charges of possession of child sexually abusive material charges into one charge.
Irish will be in court Sept. 26 for sentencing.
- Contact Dominic Adams at 725-5136 extension 239 or by e-mail at dadamsarguspress@gmail.com.