Boughton will serve a year in jail in CSC plea deal

Don Reid, The Daily Reporter
·2 min read
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At the sentencing of Andrew Boughton, 36, of Three Rivers, a tearful 19-year-old girl told Branch County Circuit Court Judge Bill O'Grady: "I'm going to be emotional. I can't tell you how much this means to me. I still feel like it's not enough."

Boughton, of Three RIvers, pleaded no-contest to assault to commit a felony, a five-year offense, after a plea bargain.

He had faced nine counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, with mandatory prison. The incidents occurred April 2017 to July 2018, when Bronson police began investigating.

Boughton will serve a year in the Branch County jail with work release. He does not need to register as a sex offender.

Branch County prosecutor Zack Stempien said the case was headed to trial when the pandemic closed the criminal justice system in early 2020.

During that time, multiple issues arose. The then-13-year-old did not report the crimes. She told friends and others, who called the OK2SAY state hotline.

"I thought me, as a child, would get in trouble," she told the judge. "I didn't want any of this to happen. I never wanted to go into court. I never wanted to have my family support my abuser. I kept it all a secret, because I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

Stempien said her family's support of Boughton made the case difficult. Members claim what the girl alleged could not happen. That left the case with no other evidence than her statements to police.

Sturgis defense attorney T.J. Reed told his client the case could go to trial, but if the jury believed the girl, Boughton would face prison for up to 15 years.

Reed and Stempien worked out the plea deal.

"This was the best possible resolution for the people to ensure that something happened to this individual, that some sort of message was sent to him and the family that this is not allowed," Stempien said. "I sincerely believe her that all of this happened. And I sincerely believe that she was a victim of sexual assault. The sentence that we're doing today is not adequate for the pain that she endured."

This article originally appeared on The Daily Reporter: Boughton will serve a year in jail in CSC plea deal