On February 9th, 2020 our 18 year old daughter was taken to a pasture in rural Nebraska by a classmate and raped. The offender was 1 month shy of his 18th birthday. My daughter became unconscious during the event and came to as he finished raping her. She had no cell phone service. He had firearms in his pickup during the rape. The rapist snapchatted her regarding the incident the next day and also admitted it to my husband and I as well as his best friend.

My daughter had to undergo a rape exam which is terrifying in itself. She had to give recorded interviews and repeat the incident over and over. The evidence was overwhelming against the rapist. It was terrifying for her and had nearly destroyed her. We filed for a protection order on her behalf and his lawyer contested it. That meant that she would have to take the stand to testify about what happened and then potentially do it again if it went to jury trial. We had to hire an attorney for the protection order. She badly needed counseling which we could not afford to pay for. His defense lawyer was doing every thing possible to make her life a living hell. She had to continue to see her rapist in school every day.

Due to an investigation caused by something his defense lawyer stated in one of the protection order hearing, charges were not brought until mid June. The rapist was charged with 1st degree sexual assault. In late June, his defense lawyer thought it would be a good idea to review the evidence. This is when he realized that the rapist has been denying everything to him and his parents all along. He had even confessed to it and it was in text as well as several statements.

As many of you know, small counties in Nebraska can not afford to go to jury trials and save the money for big things like murders. A plea deal was offered by the county attorney and the Rapist pled guilty to what would be the equivalent of 1st degree sexual assault, a felony, however in juvenile court. This meant that he would not serve time in jail and he will never have to register as a sex offender. This means that he is attending college right now and those around him do not know that he is a convicted rapist. I have no doubt that he will do this again. He has several hours of community service, has to attend AA and some other things. Probation until his 19th birthday, let that sink in. Roughly 200 days of probation. But no real punishment for committing rape.

It is my opinion that if you are old enough to commit a rape, then you are old enough to do the time. Plea deals have to go out the window in these situations. Our county attorney's can't be afraid to take things to adult court. Our judges can't continue to send these cases back down to juvenile court. Things will not change until rapists have to pay for their crimes. 

Please join me in supporting this petition and maybe we can make a difference for our children!