JESSE HILYARD

IRON MOUNTAIN — A Quinnesec man will spend 57 months to 15 years in prison for the repeated sexual assault of a victim between the ages of eight and 10.

Jesse Delos Hilyard, 43, was sentenced May 20 in Dickinson County Circuit Court after earlier pleading no contest to one count of criminal sexual conduct-first degree, a person under 13, defendant 17 years of age or older; and one count of criminal sexual conduct-second degree, a person under 13, defendant 17 years of age or older.

According to the criminal complaint, a girl reported Hilyard forced her to perform oral sex on him several times. Hilyard claims to have been intoxicated and says he has no memory of the incidents.

Hilyard’s attorney, Sarah Henderson, asked Circuit Court Judge Christopher Ninomiya to stick with the negotiated plea of a minimum/maximum of 43 months and not the 36 to 71 months the pre-sentencing investigation had recommended.

At his sentencing, Hilyard said he was not concerned about himself but the well-being of his children.

Prosecuting Attorney Lisa Richards said although alcohol was a contributing factor, it did not excuse his behavior. Richards did commend Hilyard for taking responsibility for his actions and sparing the girl the trauma of a trial.

Ninomiya said at sentencing that his heart goes out to the victim and what she had to deal with, as well Hilyard’s children.

“However, it is not the court punishing your children, or the prosecutor or anybody else — it is you that did this,” Ninomiya said in handing down the 57 months to 15 years on each of the two charges.

Noting the sentence was greater than what Hilyard had accepted in the plea agreement, Ninomiya offered him the opportunity to withdraw his plea but Hilyard declined.

In addition, Hilyard will be on electronic monitoring for the rest of his life after release. He received 43 days’ credit for time served and both sentences will run concurrently.