Judge rejects plea deal in sexual assault case

A man accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl last year appeared in the Bronx Criminal Court for sentencing Tuesday, but the judge refused to honor the plea deal. The family of the defendant, 26-year-old

News 12 Staff

Jun 17, 2008, 10:51 PM

Updated 6,019 days ago

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A man accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl last year appeared in the Bronx Criminal Court for sentencing Tuesday, but the judge refused to honor the plea deal.
The family of the defendant, 26-year-old Raymond Parkman, was convinced he would be sentenced to one year, but the judge changed his mind after reviewing the defendant?s probationary report, where Parkman relayed the incident.
The judge also pointed to Parkman?s open misdemeanor charge for failing to register on the state?s sex offender site.
The defense attorney accused the judge of backing out of the plea deal because the press got involved in the case. Parkman?s relatives agree, claiming that he only pleaded guilty to attempted sexual abuse in the first degree as a part of deal that the judge now rejected.
The victim?s family says, however, that an innocent person would not say he?s guilty in the first place.
?His family in there acting like he?s an innocent person, but he?s not ? he pleaded guilty to everything,? says the victim?s mother, Sabrina Butler.
Parkman, a Parks Department employee, was arrested last July for allegedly assaulting a 15-year-old girl inside the elevator of an apartment building in Soundview.
Parkman?s attorney worked out a plea bargain deal, under which he would have become a predicate offender for any future felony convictions, and potentially a level 3 sex offender under mandatory lifetime reporting every 90 days.
On Tuesday, the judge set bail for Parkman at $75,000, but since he is also in jail on another charge without bail, Parkman will remain behind bars.
Parkman is due back in court for sentencing on June 25. The victim?s mother says her daughter will be present because she is tired of hiding.