District Man Pleads Guilty To Felony Charge In Sexual Assault Of Young Male Relative-One Attack Took Place In 2008 At Defendant’s Place Of Employment-

     WASHINGTON - A 48-year-old man pled guilty today to one count of attempted first-degree child sexual abuse for sexually assaulting a young male relative in 2008, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

     The defendant, of Laurel, Md., is not identified here to protect the privacy of his victim. He entered the plea in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Robert E. Morin scheduled sentencing for July 12, 2013. The defendant faces up to 15 years in prison.

     According to the government’s evidence, the defendant repeatedly sexually abused the victim in 2008, when the child was 9 or 10 years old. One of the sexual assaults took place at the defendant’s place of employment in Washington, D.C. In May of 2009, the victim reported the abuse to his mother and then to law enforcement.

     In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed his appreciation to the Metropolitan Police Department, Youth Investigations Unit.  He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Donhue Griffith, Victim/Witness Advocate Melissa Milam, and the Litigation Support Unit, including Paul Howell.  He acknowledged the outstanding work of the Children’s Advocacy Center and specifically, Karen Giannakoulias, who provided critical services and treatment to the victim. Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Suttenberg, who indicted the case.