Man Sentenced On 1st Degree Child Sexual Assault In Sawyer County

SAWYER COUNTY -- The Court has sentenced a man convicted of 1st Degree Child Sexual Assault in Sawyer County Circuit Court.

DrydenWire previously reported in May 2019, that a criminal complaint had been filed charging John Begay, of Plymouth, WI, with 1st Degree Child Sexual Assault.

The complaint filed against Begay states that law enforcement received information that in the fall of 2016 Begay had sexual contact with a female child who was born in 2010. The information stated that Begay, who would have been 55 years old at the time, had been consuming alcohol and using controlled substances along with other adults when it was decided that some of the adults would take a ride.

The child requested to go along on the ride, and during the ride, Begay allegedly put his hands up the child’s skirt and sexually assaulted her. A forensic interview was conducted with the child in November 2018 and the child victim’s statements corroborated the information already received by law enforcement.

Begay was incarcerated at the time of the child victim's interview, having been sentenced in September of 2018 to serve a prison term after his probation was revoked in June 2018. Details of the reason for revocation were not listed in online circuit court records.

In July 2019, following the filing of the sexual assault charges, Begay made an appearance in Sawyer County Circuit court and was placed on a $10,000 cash bond.

Wisconsin Department of Corrections (DOC) online records indicate that Begay remained in the custody of the DOC until November of 2019 when he was returned to the Sawyer County jail where he remained in custody until the disposition of the sexual assault charges.

A jury trial was requested by Begay’s defense attorney at a hearing in February 2020. The trial was scheduled first for August 2020 and then postponed to October 2020. Online circuit court records show, however, that at a hearing on October 3, 2020, Begay entered a plea of No Contest to the charge of sexual assault. The Court accepted that plea, finding Begay Guilty.

A sentencing hearing was held on December 3, 2020, and the victim’s father appeared and read a statement from the victim to the Court. Online circuit court records show that the plea agreement proposed to the Court for Begay’s sentence recommended a 10-year sentence; 4 years initial confinement in state prison followed by 6 years extended of supervision.

The Hon. John Yackel ordered a 22-year sentence for Begay; 12 years of initial confinement in state prison, followed by 10 years of extended supervision.

Also See:

1. Registered Sex Offender Charged In Sawyer County After Discovery Of Graphic Images Of Infants
2. Sawyer County Weekly Jail Bookings Report
3. Sawyer County Disposition And Warrant Status Reports

Conditions of extended supervision will require Begay to maintain absolute sobriety; prohibiting him from possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages or any controlled substance, drug paraphernalia, or prescription medication except as prescribed and if prescribed he is ordered to take as recommended by the doctor.

Begay is also prohibited from having any contact with the victim in the sexual assault case or members of the victim’s family or with any minor without prior approval from his Department of Corrections agent. Details regarding how long Begay may have to register as a sex offender were not included in online circuit court records.