Judge In Teen Sex Offender Case Revokes Original Sentence

A judge has revoked the original sentence of an American teenager who was put on Indiana’s sex offenders register after having sex with an underage girl he met on a dating app.

Earlier this year, 19-year-old Zach Anderson was jailed after he met a 14-year-old girl on dating app Hot or Not, who claimed to be of age, and had sex with her.

Following a court hearing, Anderson was sentenced to 90 days imprisonment and a 25-year spell on the State of Indiana’s sex offenders registry – a sentence that was fought against by his family and friends.

And in a ruling signed last week, a Michigan judge voided the sentence, ruling that the prosecutor in the initial case “did not fulfil and significantly undercut the plea agreement.”

His father, Lester Anderson told CNN it is a “step in the right direction”, however it will take some time for the state to reach a new verdict.

Last month, the judge in the original hearing, Dennis Wiley, announced that he was reconsidering the sanctions after an appeal from the 19-year-old.

He said: “I do want to take a closer look at those cases because of the ramifications”.

In addition to 25 years on the sex offenders register, Anderson was handed a five-year smartphone ban and 8pm curfew by the court, in the initial decision.

The 19-year-old was also prohibited from talking to anyone under the age of 17, with the exception of his younger brothers, and is not permitted to go anywhere that serves alcohol.

After reconsidering the circumstance of Anderson’s case, it was Wiley – who had previously described the teenager’s behaviour as “totally inappropriate” –  that decided to void the sentence.

Anderson will be re-sentenced for the incident, and his father and attorney both said they hope his name will be removed from the state’s sex offender registry.

In his ruling, Wiley added that the re-sentencing will be held under a different judge.