Weakley County Man Sentenced to Probation for Rape of a Child

A Weakley County man was sentenced Monday, October 28 in Judge Jeff Parham’s Circuit Court for the Rape of a Child less than 13 years of age and Aggravated Sexual Battery of a child less than 13 years of age.

45-year-old Jonathan Tyler Stanley was indicted by the May term of the Weakley County Grand Jury which stated that on May 1 Stanley did unlawfully, feloniously, intentionally, knowingly and recklessly have unlawful sexual contact with a child less than 13 and did have sexual penetration of a child less than 13.

Aggravated Sexual Battery is a Class B Felony which carries a sentence of 8 – 30 years in prison and fines up to $25,000. Rape of a Child is a Class A Felony which carries 15 – 60 years in prison and fines up to $50,000.

Stanley was held on a $25,000 surety bond at the Weakley County Jail and was represented by Mark Donahoe.

Stanley was sentenced after taking a plea deal approved by Kate Bynum, Counsel for the State. The deal reduced the Aggravated Sexual Battery down to Sexual Battery, a class E Felony, the lowest felony by law, which carries a prison sentence of up to six years and fines up to $3,000. Stanley was given four years’ suspended at 100% consecutive to probation and will be on the sex offender registry. Stanley also agreed to plead outside of range as a multiple offender.

The plea deal also reduced the Rape of a Child to Sexual Battery. Stanley will be ordered to provide a biological specimen for the purpose of DNA analysis and will be on the sex offender registry for 10 years.

Editor’s note: Cases like this depend on many factors including evidence collected and testimony given. TN law states that during criminal prosecutions, all witnesses have a right to face their accuser and this includes children that may be involved in cases like this. Please keep in mind that in cases where a child has to testify, they may not want to face their perpetrator. This happens quite often in many cases similar to this.