An Illinois man allegedly connected to an on-campus sexual assault in February pleaded guilty to reduced charges Friday in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court.
Montague Stanford, 40, of Naperville, Ill., pleaded guilty to one count of indecent exposure, a misdemeanor offense which carries a maximum charge of one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. The charges were reduced from one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, which are felony charges.
The charges stem from an alleged sexual assault that occurred in a residence hall in late February, when a female MSU student said Stanford sexually assaulted her. MSU police Sgt. McGlothian-Taylor said the two had met via the Internet.
Stanford admitted in court he exposed his genital area to the victim.
Stanford’s attorney, David Carter, said it’s pretty unusual to go from a capital offense to a misdemeanor charge, however declined comment on why the charges were reduced.
Carter said his client works for the railroads in the Chicago area and is taking the charges very seriously.
“They are taking this very seriously,” Carter said. “It’s not something that he’s running from.”
Intially, Stanford was a fugitive from justice and apprehended in Illinois by police. Carter said Stanford did not know there was a warrant out for his arrest. Carter said had his client known of the warrant in question, Stanford would’ve taken care of it himself.
Sentencing for Stanford has yet to be scheduled.
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