Laramie Man Admits to Sexually Assaulting His Granddaughter

A Laramie man admitted Wednesday in Albany County District Court to repeatedly sexually assaulting his granddaughter.

The 77-year-old man, whose name is not included in this report in order to protect the victim, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault of a minor in the second degree as part of a plea deal.

In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors agreed to drop the five remaining charges -- two counts of sexual assault of a minor in the first degree and three counts of incest. But Prosecutor Kurt Britzius did not agree to make any sentencing recommendation.

"This will be a cold plea," said Britzius.

If given the maximum sentence, the man could face up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Court documents say a Laramie police officer went to a Laramie home Dec. 5  to investigate a report that the man had inappropriately touched the child.

According to the police affidavit, the officer's investigation revealed that a family member found the victim and the perpetrator in an inappropriate situation the night of Dec. 5.

The affidavit goes on to say that when questioned by police, the child reported that the man sometimes sexually abused her. According to court documents, the man told police he began abusing the victim at the home in July and the abuse continued in October and possibly December.

"You knew that was inappropriate, right?" Judge Jeffrey Donnell asked in court Wednesday. "But you went ahead and did it anyway?"

"Yes sir," the man replied.

The perpetrator remains in custody. He was being held on $125,000 cash bond, but in light of the guilty plea, Donnell ordered that bond revoked and the man remanded to custody pending sentencing.