Former student not convicted of sex crimes
A former Lincoln student who was arrested at school on allegations of sexual abuse in January, while he was a senior, pleaded guilty to less serious charges in Multnomah County Circuit Juvenile Court on Sept. 8.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful dissemination of an intimate image, two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, and one count of harassment, according to The Oregonian. Judge Patrick Henry sentenced him to one year of probation, 24 hours of community service and writing an apology letter to the victim.
The charge of felony second-degree sexual abuse, the most serious charge against him, was dropped.
Despite being 18 now, his trial took place in juvenile court because he was a minor at the time of the crimes, which took place during summer of 2016.
After the high-profile arrest on campus, the student, who The Cardinal Times is declining to name, was held for several days at Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center, before being released and finishing the school year at a different school.
According to the Portland Tribune, attorneys for both sides agreed that the sentence imposed this month was fair, but Judy Swanson, a district attorney in charge of juvenile cases for Multnomah County, told The Cardinal Times in February that it is important that any case like this is used as educating point to prevent future occurrences.
“In the end, it’s not about the individual, but it is the whole culture and group mentality that needs to change,” Swanson said.
When contacted this month, Swanson did not have any additional comment on the case.