Plea reached in woman's sexual assault of teen girl

McCOOK, Nebraska -- A plea agreement was reached with the Trenton, Nebraska, woman accused of sexually assaulting a young girl during a 2011 incident in McCook. As a result the offender, 26-year-old Megan Brennan, will be sentenced on a pair of Class I misdemeanor offenses of third degree sexual assault.

Court documents indicate Brennan will have to register as a sex offender and she is facing a maximum sentence of two year imprisonment and $2,000 in fines, with no minimum sentence.

Brennan was originally facing two Class II felony charges of first degree sexual assault that alleged she had sexual contact with the victim when she was 19 years of age or older and the victim was between the ages of 15 and 12. The misdemeanor offenses Brennan will be sentenced on state she had sexual contact with the victim when she knew, or should have known, the victim was physically or mentally incapable of resisting or appraising the nature of the contact.

Brennan is scheduled for sentencing in Red Willow County District Court at 10 a.m. on Feb. 4, 2013.

Other activity in District Court Monday:

* 33-year-old Zachary P. Shepherd of 1302 W. Third Street in McCook pleaded not guilty to violating the sex offender registration act. According to court documents, Shepherd registered as a sex offender in Kansas in August 2012 and reported his residence as 216 Buffalo in Oberlin, Kansas. Shepherd allegedly failed to report his move to the Red Willow County Sheriff's Department within three days, who had been informed last in May 2012 that he was living at 912 East G Street in McCook.

A motions hearing was scheduled in Shepherd's case for 9 a.m. on Feb. 4, 2013.

* 18-year-old Joe S. Lopez pleaded not guilty to a Class IV felony offense of criminal mischief. Lopez is accused of causing more than $1,500 in damage to an alleged victim's vehicle. A hearing was scheduled in the case in Red Willow County District Court at 10:45 a.m. on July 7, 2013.