Ex-East Earl officer pleads no-contest to assault; had been charged with sexual assault, stalking

A former East Earl police officer who had been charged with sexually assaulting and beating a woman two years ago pleaded no-contest to simple assault under a plea agreement Monday.

Lancaster County Judge Thomas Sponaugle sentenced Christopher M. Young, 35, of West Lampeter Township, to two years of probation and ordered that Young can never own a firearm again under terms of the deal. In exchange for his plea to the simple assault charge, charges of sexual assault and stalking were dropped.

While not an admission of guilt, a no-contest plea is considered a conviction. Young acknowledged that prosecutors had enough evidence that a jury could convict him had the case gone to trial.

In a statement, Young's attorneys, Eric and Anne Gibson, said Young maintains his innocence.

"Any attorney knows a trial involves risk no matter, as in this case, how good of a defense and evidence you have. The allegation of sexual assault carried a likely state prison sentence and lifetime registry as a sex offender.

"Mr. Young cares for his mother who lives with him and he has a 4-year-old daughter he loves dearly. In the end the only reason he considered this outcome was in thinking of his family and considering the consequences of what would have happened to them if convicted of those charges," they said.

According to court records, on March 11, 2019, West Lampeter Township Police went to Young's house in the 300 block of Clover Avenue to respond to a domestic disturbance call and found a woman "hysterically crying."

She had a red mark on her forehead and redness on her neck and she said Young had head-butted her and grabbed her neck.

The woman told police that on March 8, Young had raped her, forcing her into a sex act, despite her saying she couldn't have sex because of a recent hysterectomy, according to court documents.

Young, who had been an 11-year East Earl veteran, was placed on leave when they learned of the woman's accusations, which were first made in documents seeking a protection from abuse order March 12. He was subsequently suspended and fired.

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Crédito: DAN NEPHIN | Staff Writer