Teen pleads to attempted accosting children.

Jesus Maria Chavez

Teen pleads to attempted accosting children.

#MasonCountyCrime.

By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.

LUDINGTON — An 18-year-old Ludington man faces serving five months up front of a one-year discretionary jail term after pleading guilty in 51st Circuit Court Wednesday, Jan. 31, to attempted accosting children for immoral purposes and harboring runaways.

Jesus Maria Chavez, of 603 S. Washington Ave., was arrested last October by Michigan State Police troopers from the Hart post and was charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct and harboring runaways.

In exchange for his plea, the third-degree CSC charge, which is punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment, was dismissed.

Attempted accosting children for immoral purposes is a two-year felony, and harboring runaways is a misdemeanor, said Mason County Assistant Prosecutor Glenn Jackson III.

Chavez will not have to register as a sex offender, Jackson said. The victim in the case was 14 years old.

Sentencing guidelines in the case are 0-17 months.

Sentencing is set for March 13 at 2 p.m.

This story is copyrighted © 2018, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.

Tags: 51st Circuit Court, circuit court, court news