A no contest plea has essentially the same legal effect as a guilty plea.
Under a plea agreement, Vincent Calogero, 38, and Sarah Nilson, 32, will be required to complete one-year drug-abuse and parenting programs. If they successfully complete the programs, don’t break any laws and abide by court orders, the felony could be reduced to a misdemeanor, according to prosecutors.
Calogero and Nilson were arrested Dec. 14 after deputies responded to the 100 block of Avenue J-8 on a report of possible child abuse, according to the sheriff’s department. Sheriff’s officials said the couple “had been attempting to give and/or sell their children in exchange for money or drugs.”
Their sons, aged 1 and 2, have been placed in the custody of the county Department of Children and Family Services.
Prosecutors said the couple offered the boys to several strangers. They also kept the children in “unsafe conditions,” according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The couple are due back in court June 27, 2019, to determine if they successfully completed the mandated programs.
Previous related story:
Woman released from jail in child endangerment case
Couple accused of trying to sell their children for drugs in Lancaster
Kree says
God bless all you liberal pos…what would have happened to these kids if these monsters were not arrested
BY says
My thoughts and prayers are with the young boys that they are placed in a better home. 1 King 8:32 “may you then hear from the heavens and act and judge your servants by pronouncing the wicked one guilty and bringing what he did on his own head!”
ENOUGH! says
so a year from now, we can read about them doing it again… and again… and again… ffs….
Tim Scott says
They probably can’t produce children that quickly. They won’t be getting these back.
George says
Wait, I thought there was no evidence…….and the deputies and prosecuting attorney all had a bad arrest on their hands. Huh, go figure. A little excerpt from the previous post from one of our favorites:
“Yet another brilliantly crafted case by our local prosecutors.
Judge: “Do you have any evidence?”
Prosecutor: “Well, a deputy says…”
Judge: “Does the deputy have any evidence?”
Prosecutor: “Well, he says…”
Judge: “I get that the deputy has arrested the defendant, so clearly the deputy says they committed a crime, but do they have any evidence for you to present?”
Prosecutor:
Judge: “Do you even know the meaning of the word evidence?”
Tim Scott says
A decent lawyer could have beaten this case, because the closest thing they had to evidence was hearsay. The cops never saw a crime being committed, and the people who supposedly did see it weren’t going to get on a witness stand and say under oath “I’m a drug dealer and they tried to pay me in children.”
Once the judicial system has its hooks in you taking a plea is frequently the only effective course of action. Cops know they don’t really need evidence when they are arresting poor people who can’t afford to defend themselves.
Alexis says
Article 3, section1 of the Constitution. In this case, Vincent Calogero and Sarah Nilson are to complete a drug program and parenting program for a year which is better for them than a slick lawyer that might have gotten them off, with no hope of help. June 27th, 2019 will be a defining moment for these two people. You have commented often about respecting our Constitution; the judicial system is part of the Constitution.
aManOfTruth says
They might have a confession. They were both high and when seperated and interviewed it’s possible at least one of them told detectives the truth.
Tim Scott says
Certainly possible. Getting confessions without providing guaranteed access to counsel is a pretty common practice.
Alexis says
If they confessed while they were high, than it all worked out well for these two, to accept the plea deal that satisfied the prosecutor, defense, and the judge, to provide drug counseling, drug testing and parenting classes. Of course there are critics of the plea deal, because they are driven by emotion instead of what the best course of action might be in this particular case. Tying up the already burdened court system with this case would serve no good purpose. Let us hope that June 27, 2019 will reap positive results.
Alexis says
It all worked out, to the satisfaction of the judge, prosecutor, and defense (plea deal), without tying up the already burdened court system. You two can speculate that they didn’t receive guaranteed access to counsel, and they were pressured while high, but it is obvious these two needed drug counseling, drug testing and parenting classes. Hopefully they will be motivated to take this opportunity given them. If not, they will violate and probably receive jail time.
George says
You guys are amazing…even in the face of facts you try to figure out a way that there was some corruption abounding within the whole process. You are one of those that could be shown the colors black and white and would disagree on the colors. They would be a combination of colors that when combined appear black or white……
aManOfTruth says
They need to be at a “live in” treatment facility, it will be hard to stay clean if they go back to their old neighborhood with the other addicts and dealers.
Stinger says
Agreed! Too bad that Lancaster, under Parris’ regime, has forgotten about those tiny, yet powerful, community resources due to his politically myopic vision.