Prosecutors say an illegal immigrant from the U.K. has been handed over to federal authorities after pleading guilty to assault and battery for touching a 7 year-old girl at the Cummington Creamery back in March of 2011.
Richard M. Shepard, 55, formerly of Cummington, is being transferred to federal custody following his arraignment Monday at Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton.
According to Mary Carey of the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office , Shepard had been indicted by a grand jury back in November on a charge of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14. She says that while it was never in doubt whether Shepard touched the girl on March 15, there was disagreement over where on her body she was touched. Prosecutors had alleged the girl was touched in a sexual manner, while Shepard denied it.
Assistant District Attorney Linda Pisano said that prosecutors agreed to let Shepard plead to the lesser charge of assault and battery, because Shepard faces federal immigration charges.
“The Commonwealth and the victim’s family believe that this is the best resolution of the case based on the fact that the defendant is facing federal charges for illegal re-entry into the United States after he had been deported for a sexual assault in New Jersey, for which he served prison time prior to his deportation,” Pisano said in court on Monday.
According to Carey, Shepard had been arrested in Florida following his initial deportation, and there is a pending warrant for his arrest in Rhode Island.
Under the sentence agreed-upon between the prosecution and the defense, Judge Richard Carey sentenced Shepard to 279 days in the Hampshire County Jail; the amount of time he has already served.
Tags: Mary Carey, Monday, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Richard Carey, Sexual assault, Shepard, United States
