Rene Otero, appearing in Manhattan Criminal Court on Fri., May 10, above, center, had been arrested days before and charged with groping a 9-year-old girl in the East Village on April 14.
At his court appearance, where he would learn if a grand jury had indicted him on the charge, Otero unexpectedly agreed to a plea deal.
In return for pleading guilty, Otero had a charge of first-degree sexual abuse reduced to second-degree sexual abuse, for which he will serve five months.
Appearing before Judge Lisa Sokoloff, Otero stood quietly as she read aloud the agreement’s details.
“Is it true,” she asked Otero, “that on April 14 at 1:45 p.m. in the rear of 205 Avenue C, that you subjected a child less than 14 years of age to unwanted sexual contact?”
“Yes,” Otero replied.
As part of the plea deal, Otero waived his rights to appeal and to a trial. In addition, he must register as a sex offender under the state Sex Offender Registration Act.
He will be formally sentenced in June.
