A former Aledo teacher accused of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13 has entered a plea that admits no wrongdoing.
61-year-old Mark Artcher on Monday entered an Alford plea to an amended Class A misdemeanor of attempted criminal sexual abuse.
He was placed on a 24-month probation, sentenced to 180 days in the Mercer County Jail, and fined $2,500.
Artcher originally faced a Class X felony charge of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and two Class 2 felonies of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, involving three different victims under the age of 13.
An Alford plea is where the defendant will plead guilty without admitting that they committed the crime.
If he was found guilty of his original charges, Artcher could have faced anywhere from 6 to 30 years in prison.
The sexual abuse charges alleged an “act of sexual conduct” with at least three persons under the age of 13, and the sexual assault charges alleged some form of sexual penetration with a victim under 13.
