No pleas yet after 2nd defendant accepts deal in extortion case
Published 2:28 pm Friday, November 18, 2011
No other defendants in a sex extortion case have accepted plea deals after Parnell Martin pleaded guilty Thursday to criminal
sexual conduct in the 3rd degree. Charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and extortion charges were dismissed.
Martell Miller, one of five defendants in the case, will continue discussions Monday at the South Berrien County Courthouse after about four hours of deliberation took place during a contempt of court and status conference Friday. Currently his trial is set to begin Nov. 29.
Leon Murphy accepted a plea deal and is scheduled for sentencing in December.
Trey Nichols will face his trial in December.
Martise Washington was found guilty on all seven charges earlier this month.
Martin also pleaded guilty to a contempt of court charge for violating his bond by contacting
Washington. Martin was sentenced to 60 days in jail for the offense with credit for 22 days already served. Martin’s sentencing for the criminal sexual conduct charge is slated for Jan. 9; he is facing a maximum of 15 years in prison.
The Niles teens are accused of producing a sex video of a then 17-year-old girl and threatening to post it to Facebook if she didn’t engage in sex acts with them.