CLEARFIELD – A Madera man will spend up to 10 years in state prison for having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl.
Jared John Wilks, 22, 543 Blackburn Rd., Madera, an inmate of the jail, pleaded guilty to two counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and statutory sexual assault.
He was sentenced by Judge Paul E. Cherry to 30 months to 10 years in state prison. He must complete the Project Point of Light program. He is prohibited from having contact with the victim and anyone under the age of 18.
Prior to sentencing, a hearing was held during which Molly Wagner, a member of the sex offender assessment board, testified regarding her analysis of Wilks. She interviewed him and determined he has an anti-social personality disorder and is a sexually violent predator.
Wilks’s attorney, Mike Marshall, questioned Wagner’s methods and pointed out a few mistakes in her findings.
District Attorney William A. Shaw Jr. noted that Wilks had a previous sexual assault case involving a 12-year-old girl while he was a juvenile.
After hearing Wagner’s testimony and reviewing her report, Cherry ruled that Wilks meets the criteria to be considered a sexually violent predator. Wilks will have to register with law enforcement under Megan’s Law for the rest of his life.
The charges stem from incidents that occurred between July 12, 2013 and Nov. 26, 2013. According to the affidavit of probable cause, the victim told police that she began “hanging out” with him near the end of the 2012-13 school year and they began dating in July.
She snuck out of the house to meet him almost every Friday and Saturday night. They would go to his residence and stay in the basement, barn or garage. Sometimes they would drive around in his car.
He gave her beer to drink and they engaged in sexual intercourse every weekend she was with him. She said he knew she was only 15 years old. On one occasion, she asked him what he would do if she got pregnant, and he responded “probably shoot myself. I wouldn’t want to be in jail and you raise a baby by yourself.”
When interviewed by police, Wilks admitted to having sex with the victim and knowing she was only 15 years old.
Wilks’s probation on a previous theft charge was also revoked. For theft by unlawful taking, he was given a concurrent nine months to two years state prison sentence.