Marion man pleads guilty to child sex crimes
A 47-year-old Marion man will be sentenced April 20 on two child sex crime convictions that each carry a presumptive prison sentence of life under Jessica’s Law.
Kenneth Newell pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child younger than 14, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in an e-mailed news release. Those sentenced under Jessica’s Law, which strengthened penalties for some sex offenders, must serve at least 25 years of their sentence before being eligible for parole.
Although the presumptive prison term for a Jessica’s Law conviction is life, a judge has the discretion to impose a more lenient sentence.
According to an amended criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Marion County District Court, Newell molested a 9-year-old on at least two occasions in March 2014.
Chief Judge Michael Powers accepted his plea Tuesday.
The attorney general’s office prosecuted the case.
Reach Amy Renee Leiker at 316-268-6644 or aleiker@wichitaeagle.com. Follow her on Twitter: @amyreneeleiker.
This story was originally published March 10, 2015 at 4:40 PM with the headline "Marion man pleads guilty to child sex crimes."