Local Court News, (Central Nebraska Today)
LEXINGTON — A Lexington man who was charged after a child enticement sting operation involving the Hastings Police Department has pleaded no contest to amended charges.
Jesus Octavio Sanchez-Ramirez, 21, had been charged with child enticement – sexual assault by use of an electronic communication device, a Class 1D felony.
Sanchez-Ramirez pleaded not guilty to the charge in September.
Following a hearing date on March 16, Sanchez-Ramirez withdrew his plea of not guilty and entered a plea of no contest to the charge. A no contest plea is neither an admission nor denial of guilt, but the plea is treated the same as a guilty plea.
A sentencing date in the case has been set for May 18 at 2:30 p.m.
According to an affidavit submitted into court records, the Lexington Police Department was contacted on July 23 by the Hastings Police Department.
An officer was operating an undercover social media account and posing as a 14-year-old girl. The Hastings office said that they were allegedly contacted by Sanchez-Ramirez.
The Hastings Police provided a copy of messages between Sanchez-Ramirez and the officer. In those messages Sanchez-Ramirez states several times that he wanted sexual relations with 14-year-old. He also inquired about her parents’ whereabouts.
The Hastings officer posing as the 14-year-old arranged to meet Sanchez-Ramirez at a local park in Lexington. In those messages, Sanchez-Ramirez would inquire about her parents’ knowledge of the meeting.
The meeting was set to take place at Pioneer Park. When Sanchez-Ramirez arrived, the officers placed him into custody.
Sanchez-Ramirez was then booked into the Dawson County Jail.
