HARTFORD — Prosecutors have dropped the most serious charges against a former East Windsor priest accused of sexually assaulting a teenager.
Paul Gotta was facing charges of second-degree sexual assault and fourth-degree sexual assault. Authorities say Gotta sexually assaulted the 16-year-old boy between January 2012 and February 2013.
The Hartford Courant reports prosecutors offered Gotta a deal to plead guilty to second-degree breach of peace. He pleaded Wednesday under the Alford doctrine. That means he didn’t agree with the state’s evidence but wanted to plead to a lesser charge instead of risking a trial and a greater sentence.
He was sentenced to a six-month suspended sentence and two years of conditional discharge.
Prosecutors cited a ruling by a judge to exclude some evidence as one of the reasons for the offer.
