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Child molestation suspect pleads to felony sexual battery, gets fiveyears Judge Harold A. Hinesley sentenced an accused child molester to the maximum in a last-minute plea deal in Wilkes County Superior Court Monday afternoon, avoiding traumatic testimony by the now fiveyear old victim. While not admitting guilt, Deionte Grant, 18, pleaded guilty to felony sexual battery and was sentenced to fiveyears, with three in confinement and the rest on intensive probation. He was facing charges of child molestation and child sexual battery for allegedly fondling a four-yearold girl in February 2007. Although he insists he is not guilty, he pleaded guilty to reduced charges to keep from facing a much longer sentence if a jury had found him guilty. The District Attorney's office struggled over the case, Deputy DA Bill Doupé said, trying to do the right thing, to both render justice and to protect the child from the trauma of testifying. "We are prepared to try the case," he said in court, "but the child was not ready for that. This is in the best interest of the child - she's in kindergarten today, and that's where she should be." Doupé said he agreed to the reduction in charges because there will be time served and Grant will be on the sex offender registry. Judge Hinesley put an extensive list of restrictions on Grant's probation. After Grant serves three years in prison, he will be placed on probation and required to register as a sex offender. While on probation, Grant will not be allowed contact with the victim or any other child under 18; nor will he be allowed to reside with a child under 18. His residence and employment must be supervised by his parole officer,and restrictions are made on internet and media access, and alcohol and drug use is forbidden. Grant, who was 17 at the time, was arrested February 9, 2007. Washington Police Investigator Lt. J.D. Nelson said Grant was a relative of the child's mother and had no place to sleep, so the child's mother let him stay with them for the night, he said. The mother was out of the house, with Grant caring for the child. During the night, Nelson said, Grant woke the child to "play" and after a while put his hand in her panties. The girl told him to stop, and ran and called her mother on a cell phone. Her mother came home, confronted Grant and told him to leave, and called police.
Washington police officers searched the city and caught Grant on Norman Street some four hours later, packed and ready to leave town.
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