GREEN RIVER – A local man pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual assault of a minor in a change of plea hearing in the Third Judicial District Court in Green River on Friday.

Travis Roberts pleaded guilty to the charge in front of the honorable District Court Judge Richard L. Lavery. As part of the plea agreement, Roberts will remain out on bond until the sentencing.

The charges stem from an incident in August which led to the his arrest by the Rock Springs Police Department. He was arraigned in District Court on Sept. 15, 2014, where he was officially charged with six counts of first-degree sexual assault of a minor. During the proceedings on Friday, Judge Lavery said with each charge of first-degree sexual assault carried 50 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Lavery also explained with each first degree charge there was also an alternative charge of sexual assault of a minor in the second degree. The second degree charge carries a sentence of 20 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines.

Lavery explained to Roberts if convicted on all the first-degree charges, he could be facing up to 300 years in prison and up to $60,000 in fines.

Lavery then asked Roberts lawyer Richard Helson to inform the court of the plea agreement for the record. Helson said Roberts would plead guilty to one charge of second-degree sexual assault of a minor and the state would agree to drop the remaining charges. As part of the agreement, Roberts would serve 15 to 20 years in prison, pay the different court costs including $200 to the Victim Compensation Fund and restitution of $1,092 for damage done to the defendant’s furniture. Roberts would also have to register as a convicted sex offender.

Part of the agreement was to allow Roberts to remain out of bond until sentencing. Helson said Roberts would check in with his office every Friday until sentencing and if he did not his office would contact the court.

Deputy County Attorney Gary Redente addressed Judge Lavery about this and said the state thought it was appropriate for Roberts to check in with the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office every week. Redente also requested Roberts surrender his passport and the no contact with the victim or the victim’s family condition remain in place until the sentencing.

Helson said Roberts did not have a passport which Roberts himself told Judge Lavery later in the proceedings. Helson also explained Roberts was not able to get time off of work to check in with the Sheriff’s Office and his office would keep the court informed. With regards to this issue, Lavery asked Roberts if he would waive client confidentiality so Helson could communicate with the court. Roberts agreed.

After pleading guilty, Lavery spoke with Roberts about the charge. Lavery said the count he was pleading guilty to stemmed from an incident in August of 2014 where he unlawful had sexual contact with a minor between the ages of 13-years-old to 15-years-old. Lavery read the affidavit which said on this date he exposed himself to the minor and then proceeded to have intercourse on the couch with the minor. Roberts confirmed to Lavery that is what happened on the night in question.

Lavery explained a pre-sentence investigation was in the works and explained there would be two interviews Roberts would need to attend. One involved substance abuse while the second was more about him personally as well as a look at his criminal history if there was one.

Lavery stressed the importance of attending these interviews to Roberts.

The court then went into recess until the sentencing. No date for the sentencing was set during the court proceedings.