By Jeanne Williams
Temple Daily Telegram
April 27, 2010
http://www.tdtnews.com/story/2010/4/27/65807
The Rev. Stephen Valenta, a Franciscan friar indicted last April on a sexual assault charge and scheduled to go on trial Monday before 20th District Judge Ed Magre, pleaded no contest and will serve five years unadjudicated probation cloistered in a friary.
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| The Rev. Stephen Valenta, center, leaves the 20th Judicial adult probation department with his attorney, Chris Gunter, left, following his sentencing Monday in Cameron Photo by Shirley Williams |
Valenta, 86, had pleaded innocent and was scheduled to go on trial before the judge, but proceedings were delayed as his attorneys met with prosecutor Kerry Spears to work out details of a plea agreement.
Valenta was indicted April 16, 2009, by a Milam County grand jury on third-degree felony sexual assault in connection with an incident May 21, 2008, in which a visiting priest at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rockdale forced a Rockdale woman to perform oral sex in the church rectory.
Valenta had pleaded innocent, but on Monday, the priest's attorneys came to court prepared to negotiate. Mrs. Spears said she was ready to proceed with a bench trial, and the victim was prepared to testify.
Under terms of the plea agreement, Valenta pleaded no contest to first-degree felony injury to the elderly, one of three charges named in his indictment. A no-contest plea, or nolo contendere, refers to a plea in which the defendant does not admit guilt, but agrees not to contest or defend against the charge.
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