Man admits attempted sexual abuse

PALMER -- A 27-year-old Wasilla man pleaded no contest Tuesday in Superior Court to a reduced charge of attempted sexual abuse of a minor in the second degree.

Danny G. Jewell Jr. will serve one year in jail as part of the plea bargain. He originally was charged with second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

District Attorney Roman Kalytiak said during an interview that pleading to the lesser charge was appropriate because, although the child said he committed the crime, there wasn't much physical evidence for prosecutors to use.

Jewell was arrested March 3 after a 7-year-old girl told her mother about the abuse. Jewell, who is related to the girl, had gone to the family's Wasilla home to do yard work. He drank "an excessive amount" of beer while working, according to charging documents.

Jewell stayed in the family's house that night, and went into the girl's room at 2:15 a.m. and asked to sleep with her, documents said. The girl, believing he had no other place to sleep, said yes. Soon afterward Jewell began fondling the girl, according to charging documents.

The victim told him to stop but he wouldn't "so she tried to move his hand away several times but he refused to move his hand," according to an affidavit by Alaska State Trooper David Willson.

When interviewed by troopers, Jewell said he had gone to sleep on the couch that night. He said he didn't remember what else happened, the affidavit said.

"He later stated that he went into [the girl's] room and got into bed with her," the document said. "He stated that he may have put his arm on her, but then repeatedly stated that he didn't remember anything else."

Jewell's plea signifies that he took a "substantial step toward the commission of sexual assault of a minor in the second degree," Judge Beverly Cutler said. The plea agreement triggers revocation of probation for a previous charge of driving under the influence, she noted.

Formal sentencing is set for Feb. 23, 2004.

Jewell, who has been in custody since May 4, requested a bail hearing Tuesday. His attorney proposed Jewell's sister and mother as third-party custodians, and agreed to electronic monitoring so he couldn't leave his sister's house undetected.

Cutler continued the bail hearing until another date without ruling on the request because details of the electronic monitoring had not been worked out. However, she said she probably would approve the monitoring request.