Chriselle Renard English, 60, entered a plea before Judge Susan Sniegowski.
Sniegowski read a part of the incident report to find a basis of fact for the allegations.
“This case has me very perplexed with exactly I’m asked to do. Everything I know about this case is what I’ve heard today,” she said before delivering a sentence. “It appears there are some questions as to whether there’s some legal issues with statute of limitations, some legal issues regarding the burden of proof and I really appreciate (the victim) coming forward and making statements today.”
Sniegowski asked for more information, and Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Lauren Kreinbrink said the preliminary exam was completed in 79th District Court. The late Douglas Stevenson was English’s attorney and offers were exchanged between the prosecutor’s office and Stevenson before Tracie Dinehart took on the case for Stevenson. Kreinbrink said she spoke with the victim about the prospects for the case in terms of a resolution.
“We did discuss this resolution today. (The victim) did convey to me a desire to move forward with this resolution which is why the people offered this particular offer and provide resolution to this particular case,” she said.
“This is one of those cases that is extremely difficult. I know there’s a lot of work and a lot of years to get to this point today,” Sniegowski said. “The court isn’t always privy to those discussions. In this case, I’m going to follow this recommendation from what I’ve heard here today.
“Nothing the court can do can to take away the pain (the victim) has gone through. This does offer some closure. There is also real factual concerns going forward that actually get us to some resolution with some finality, and this also gives some protection, especially the no-contact provisions that will be imposed.”
The victim spoke to the court with emotion prior to English’s sentencing. She spoke about how she ran away from home, joined the U.S. Navy and some of the interactions she had with English as a child.
“Why didn’t I say anything? Who was going to believe me? I was in hell in that house… My grades were dropping because I was being messed with,” the victim said. “I thought I was going to die.”
She described how she was in “home jail” based on the treatment she received as a child.
“But I do love (English), and I forgive (him),” she said.
The incident took place in 2002 according to the report, Sniegowski said, and in Branch Township off of Landon Road. It was investigated in 2020, she said.
English was initially charged with criminal sexual conduct first degree (relations) and child abuse third degree form an incident, and investigated by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office. He was arraigned on the charges in May 2021, according to online court records.
Dinehart, English’s attorney, said the no contest plea is to prevent any civil liability.
English was sentenced to two years of probation and must not be contact with the victim. He also was assessed total fines and costs of $525.
