Former Florence City Council member accepts plea deal in sex assault case

FLORENCE, Colo. (KRDO) -- Former Florence City Council member Anthony Esquibel accepted a plea deal Wednesday after being charged with sexually assaulting a child in June of 2022.

RELATED: Arrest records detail child sex assault allegation against former Florence City Councilman

According to court documents, the deal lowers the class-four felony charge of sexual assault on a child down to harassment, a class-one misdemeanor.

11th Judicial District Prosecutor, Wendy Owns, said the plea is "not ideal" to the young victim and her family, but she claimed the victims have accepted it. Ownes added that the prosecution was not able to prove the sex assault allegation beyond a reasonable doubt.

The plea deal comes with a deferred judgment and sentence. If it is violated, Esquibel will spend a year in jail.

Magistrate Michael Meyrick said Wednesday that accepting the plea deal exceeds his authority, and he referred the case to District Court Judge Kaitlin Turner. Sentencing and plea are set for Sept. 15, 2023.