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Posted on Wed, Jan 9, 2013 : 7:15 p.m.

Man accused of preying on underage girls via Facebook refuses plea deal

By John Counts

Paul_Creps.jpg

Paul Creps

Courtesy of WCSO

The 23-year-old Ypsilanti Township man accused of coaxing two underage girls into having sex with him after meeting them on Facebook refused a plea deal at a final pretrial hearing in the Washtenaw County Trial Court Wednesday.

Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Robyn Liddell offered Paul Joseph Creps, 23, a deal that would have dismissed two third-degree criminal sexual conduct charges in exchange for pleading guilty to two counts of the same charge.

Sentencing in the agreement would have been set for 45 to 75 months in prison. The prosecution also would have agreed to not bring any additional charges. Police have said there were numerous pictures of different underage girls on a cellphone obtained during the investigation.

Creps, represented by attorney David I. Goldstein, refused the deal. A jury trial is scheduled for Jan. 22.

Goldstein said the refusal comes after engaging in "serious negotiations in the case."

"His (sentencing) guidelines will substantially increase," Liddell said, addressing what would happen if a jury found Creps guilty on all four counts of third-degree CSC he faces.

Creps appeared in court in street clothes having been bonded out of jail at the end of November. His bond was at one time $75,000 cash, but that was lowered to 10 percent of $75,000 by Judge Kirk Tabbey in district court.

Creps_car.jpg

Creps is accused of luring two underage girls into this truck and having sex with them, prosecutors said.

Courtesy of the WCSO

Creps sat silent at the defense table throughout Wednesday's court proceedings, which included two motions from the prosecution. Liddell requested combining the two cases into one so there wouldn't have to be two separate jury trials. Judge Archie Brown granted the request, as well as a second motion that will allow the two female victims, 14 and 15 years old, to testify in the same trial.

Goldstein argued that they were two different victims, on two different dates with two different sets of witnesses.

"I don't see how one jury could hear this," he said.

Liddell said Creps used the same method of operation with both victims in both cases: he contacted both them through Facebook, pressured them both to have sex with him, picked them both up in his pick-up truck and had sex with them in the truck.

Brown didn't grant the motion on the basis of evidence, however, but on a legal statute.

Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office deputies first arrested Creps on suspicion of having a sexual relationship with a girl who was under 16. After that arrest, investigators went through his phone and found many pictures of nude underage girls, deputies said.

A second girl, a 15-year-old from Ypsilanti, was located after Creps was charged in the initial case.

Creps remains free on bond.

John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Comments

JRW

Thu, Jan 10, 2013 : 10:15 p.m.

Here is the rationale used by the Judge to lower the bail: "When reached by phone Thursday, Tabbey told AnnArbor.com that he could have continued the bond as it was, but changed it for two reasons: he felt obligated in the way he interprets the state law dealing with "pretrial release" and that in certain circumstances it may not necessarily be easier for the incarcerated accused to have to post the 10 percent in cash to the court than going the route of getting out via a bail bondsman on the cash or surety route." "I feel (the bond) will still assure his presence," he said. "I felt it is still enough bond to hold him." Well, Creps is out on bail because it was reduced to 10%. So this Judge's reasoning didn't work out. Now we have an accused sexual predator out of jail.

S

Fri, Jan 25, 2013 : 5:07 p.m.

The purpose of bail is NOT to keep someone in jail, it's to ensure they will show up for the trial.

Fester

Thu, Jan 10, 2013 : 5:31 p.m.

"Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecutor Robyn Liddell offered Paul Joseph Creps, 23, a deal that would have dismissed two third-degree criminal sexual conduct charges in exchange for pleading guilty to two counts of the same charge." Does that make any sense?

John Counts

Thu, Jan 10, 2013 : 7:34 p.m.

You are correct, Brad. The story states there were four third-degree charges. The offer was: plead guilty to two of the charges and the other two would be dropped.

Brad

Thu, Jan 10, 2013 : 6:28 p.m.

I think it means he started with four counts.

PattyinYpsi

Thu, Jan 10, 2013 : 2:32 p.m.

I'm guessing that part of the impetus behind the offered plea deal was to avoid having the victims go through the misery of Creeps's trial. It won't be pleasant for them. Let's hope they manage to stay strong so that Creeps gets the tougher sentence he will face if convicted.

EyeHeartA2

Thu, Jan 10, 2013 : 12:55 a.m.

"Creps is accused of luring two underage girls into this truck and having sex with them, prosecutors said." THAT truck !?!? Wow.

Richard Carter

Thu, Jan 10, 2013 : 9:52 p.m.

I don't think the many pictures of underage girls found on his phone will add credibility to his story.

John nose

Thu, Jan 10, 2013 : 9:09 p.m.

A grown man should know the difference between a lil girl and a grown women period!! That's so sick he should of took them couple years its over now

PattyinYpsi

Thu, Jan 10, 2013 : 2:22 p.m.

The girls were 14 and 15. I wonder if you had daughters that age you would joke about this case. At least publicly.

Paul

Thu, Jan 10, 2013 : 3:07 a.m.

His trail will be interesting BUT look how young those girls are--14 & 15. I wounder if those girls said they were older ? Yeah he still should have known better, I don't see him getting acquitted but then I don't know the facts of this case.

JBK

Thu, Jan 10, 2013 : 2:49 a.m.

Admit it. You are just jealous! It was always your dream to drive a truck with doors that did not match!:) In all seriousness, if this guy can claim that the woman lied about their age and build a believable case, then a jury may buy it. With makeup, etc, it is not a stretch to think that a jury may buy it.