Platta Pleads to Repeated Sexual Abuse of a Child
By Lisa Pett
A 29-year old New Hope man pleaded no contest to repeated sexually assaulting the same child between March and November of last year while she and her family were staying in his home.
Alex Platta was arrested and charged in September after the victim reported the abuse to her mother. According to the criminal complaint, the incidents occurred between March and November of 2014. The victim was between 13 and 14 years old at the time.
Platta has been held in custody at the Portage County Jail since his arrest on a $25,000 cash bond.
As a basis for the plea agreement, the attorneys for the prosecution and defense both stipulate that there is a factual basis for the charge that Platta had sexual contact with a person under 16 years of age and that the contact occurred at least three times.
As part of his conviction, Platta will be required to register with the state’s sex offender registry for life.
A sentencing hearing has been set for December 23.
