LOGAN — A 28-year-old Logan man has waived his right to a jury trial and admitted to sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
Court staff report, Jehzeel W. Marquez appeared in 1st District Court Thursday morning, weeks before his three-day trial was scheduled to begin. He accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to an amended charge of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a third-degree felony. As part of the agreement, prosecutors dropped a remaining misdemeanor charge against him.
Police arrested Marquez in November 2016, after the victim reported being assaulted in July 2015. She said the defendant held her down, removed her clothing and touched her inappropriately, before she was able to get up and leave.
Marquez was later released from jail after posting bail.
During Thursday’s court appearance, Judge Thomas Willmore scheduled sentencing for March 4. He also ordered probation officers to complete a pre-sentence report about the defendant’s criminal history.
Marquez could face up to five-years in prison.