Richard Cassada.
LIVINGSTON COUNTY – The Avon sex offender whose case has been adjourned and delayed numerous times since December 2014 entered a sudden guilty plea on Tuesday to Rape, his second sex offense against a minor in 9 years.
His voice shaking, Richard Cassada, 61, pled guilty to felony Rape in the Third Degree and admitted to having sex with a female who was under age of 17 between September 2013 and March 2014. Judge Robert Wiggins had a brief conference with the attorneys at the bench, and decided that Cassada will be released until sentencing in September, with monitoring by the Livingston County Probation Department and enhancement warnings.
“It is true that you no longer enjoy the presumption of innocence that you had when you walked in here, and that raises some concern as to my obligation to the community at large,” said Judge Wiggins. “Mr. Parrinello, I will allow your client to remain out, with the addition of electronic home monitoring.”
Assistant District Attorney Josh Tonra requested that Cassada be remanded to the Livingston County Jail without bail in light of the guilty plea, but Judge Wiggins denied that request.
“There was no offer or inclination by the District Attorney’s Office to release Mr. Cassada,” said ADA Tonra. “As there was no conference between myself and Mr. Parrinello before going on the record today, and in light of previous allegations against the defendant, the People sought remand and that is still my position.”
According to the NYS Department of Criminal Justice Services, in 2006 Cassada is a registered sex offender who was convicted of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, a class B misdemeanor, and sentenced to 90 days at the Livingston County Jail. He had sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl under the age of 17.
The current offer by the District Attorney’s Office is for 1 1/2 years in prison and 10 years of post release supervision. There will likely be an 8-year order of protection signed in favor of the victim, another registration under the Sex Offenders Registration Act, and $1,425 in court fees and fines.