3 years in prison for man accused of sex crimes against 2 girls
ALBION – A former Albion resident today was sentenced to three years in state prison, the maximum under a plea deal, after he faced multiple rape charges.
Charles Ledger, 28, has maintained his innocence throughout court proceedings. He entered an Alford plea, where he pleaded guilty but maintains his innocence to avoid more serious charges.
Ledger was living on Lydun Drive Extension in Albion when he allegedly committed the crimes between August 2011 and March 2015, the District Attorney’s Office reported.
He was charged with one count of course of sexual conduct against a child in the first degree, two counts of criminal sexual act in the second degree, and 14 counts of rape in the third degree.
He was arrested in Nebraska on July 20, 2015 and extradited to Orleans County. He has been in the county jail since late July 2015.
Ledger’s attorney Brian Degnan said if the case had gone to trial he would have made the case that Ledger was innocent. Degnan asked for probation for Ledger or a short jail sentence, given that he has already been in the county jail for nearly 18 months and that Ledger has steadfastly insisted he was innocent.
Susan Howard, the assistant district attorney, asked for the maximum sentence of 3 years as part of a plea deal.
“Their future has been altered forever,” she said about the two alleged victims of the crime.
County Court Judge James Punch gave Ledger the maximum, issued orders of protection for the two girls, imposed a $1,000 sex offender fee and said Ledger would have 10 years of post-release supervision when he is out of prison.
In other cases:
• Bail was set at $200,000 for a Medina man accused of tampering with evidence, a Class E felony.
Victor Orr, 38, of South Main Street was arrested on Dec. 9 after he allegedly disposed of a cardboard box with controlled substances in a nearby creek. He also allegedly removed controlled substances (drugs) from a safe and put them in the Erie Canal, according to Susan Howard, the assistant district attorney.
Orr hasn’t been indicted yet. But because he has prior felonies his bail couldn’t be set in a lower court. The bail hearing was moved to County Court and Judge Punch set bail at $200,000. He said Orr has three prior felonies.
Orr’s attorney Michael Guarino asked for “reasonable bail.” He said Orr turned himself in “when he found out about these charges.”
• A Rochester man who appeared in court on Jan. 9 was fully arraigned today with his attorney. The arraignment was pushed back a week so Steven C. Jones, 47, of Rochester could have counsel that wasn’t in conflict with the public defender’s office.
Jones was arrested in November, the first person to be charged in Orleans County for selling medical marijuana. Jones was allegedly selling marijuana in both liquid and pill form, as well as prescription painkillers.
He faces an 18-count indictment including five counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, two counts of CSCS in the fourth degree, four counts of CSCS in the fifth. He also facing criminal possession charges including four counts in the third degree, three counts in the fifth degree.
The judge set bail at $100,000.
“He has an extensive criminal history and this is an extensive criminal indictment,” Punch said during arraignment.
• The judge increased bail for a Kent man who missed a previous court appearance and was recently arrested on a bench warrant.
Daniel Flanagan, 31, of Bills Road had his bail increased from $15,000 to $45,000. He faces charges of DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle after being stopped Dec. 7, 2013 on East State Street in Albion.
