Brandon Man Reaches Plea Agreement In Sexual Assault Case
12 September 2018 News
A 57-year-old Brandon man accused of sexually assaulting a child has avoided a retrial by entering an Alford plea. The trial for Joseph Doehler was scheduled for next week. An Alford plea is not an admission of guilt, but acknowledges there may be enough evidence to lead to a conviction for third degree sexual assault of a child. He was sentenced to three years in prison, but was credited for the three years already served. Three years ago Doehler was sentenced to twenty years in prison for the repeated sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl. But last May a judge vacated the conviction and granted a new jury trial. The judge’s ruling was based on the accuser’s reputation for being untruthful in reporting previous abuse from other men. There was also a lack of physical evidence against Doehler.
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