A jury trial for a Marshall man who allegedly sexually assaulted a youth and was charged with a felony has been canceled due to the accused pleading guilty to a lesser charge during a court proceeding on Tuesday, June 18.
According to a probable-cause statement, the juvenile’s mother contacted the Marshall Police Department after going through explicit text messages on her daughter’s phone in July 2018.
Online court documents say Fares Ismael Castillo-Mejia, who is now 28, was charged with a Class E Felony for Child Molestation in the Fourth Degree. Updated court documents say Castillo-Mejia pleaded guilty to a Class A Misdemeanor for Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree.
Originally, bond was set at $10,000 cash only. According to updated court documents, bond was amended to $10,000 cash or surety on February 25. The court further updated bond conditions as $10,000 personal-recognizance, with Castillo-Mejia to have no contact with the victim, victim’s family, residence or place of employment during his latest hearing.
Castillo-Mejia had pleaded not guilty to the original charge in November.
Castillo-Mejia’s sentencing hearing is scheduled to be held at 1:15 p.m. on Monday, June 24.