Trenton woman sentenced on sexual assault
McCOOK, Nebraska -- A Trenton, Nebraska, woman was sentenced to less probation time for her sexual assault of a young girl, than she previously received from a drunk driving conviction. The offender, 27-year-old Megan Brennan, was sentenced to 18 months probation and required to register as a sex offender, Feb. 4, 2013, in Red Willow County District Court. Brennan was convicted of two Class I misdemeanor offenses of third degree sexual assault, stemming from a 2011 incident that occurred in McCook.
Brennan accepted a plea agreement in the case in December that admitted guilt to the two misdemeanor offenses, she 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 was convicted of 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 was sentenced to 24 months probation in January 2011 stemming from her 2010 arrest and citation for second offense DUI (.18) and reckless driving. She accepted a plea agreement in that case, also offered by Red Willow County Attorney Paul Wood, that admitted guilt to a reduced charge of first offense DUI (.14). She was also ordered to pay a $400 fine. The reckless driving charge Brennan was initially cited with was not pursued.
According to a letter from Brennan's probation officer filed during the drunk driving case, she had one prior conviction for DUI, as well as a prior reckless driving conviction. At the time of her sentencing she also had a pending charge in Phelps County for possession of open alcohol container that occurred after her drunk driving arrest.
The letter also noted that she had recently completed outpatient counseling with Heartland Counseling in McCook and said that it was "difficult for this officer to recommend probation, due to the fact that this is the defendants second DUI conviction in two years and she is still obtaining alcohol related citations after her current offense. However, this officer does feel that the defendant could be successful in probation, therefore this officer recommends that the defendant be placed on probation."