Exceptionally Short Sentence for Sex Sting Defendant

A detailed argument concerning the client’s psychological makeup supported a 17-month sentence, where the standard range was 31 to 41 months.

Case Summary

The accusation

That the client was caught in a sting operation in Puyallup, Washington, after continuing contact with an undercover officer pretending to offer sex with an underage girl.

The charge

Attempted Rape of a Child in the Second Degree

The possible sentence

A standard sentencing range of 31 to 41 months.

The defense David Marshall presented

An aggressive, thoroughly supported argument built around the client's psychological makeup, showing why it left him nearly unable to break off contact with the undercover officer once it began.

The result

The Pierce County judge imposed an exceptional sentence of 17 months, followed by five years of community custody, a form of supervision served outside prison.

What helped win the case

The judge accepted a meticulously supported argument about the client's own psychological makeup, explaining why he found it nearly impossible to break off contact with the undercover officer once the exchange began.