MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. (WPMI) A man accused of sexually abusing two young children will spend 10 years behind bars. Twenty-four-year-old Jacob Johansen took a plea deal and was sentenced Wednesday morning.
Johansen was facing 16 varied charges. He plead guilty to one count of rape and one count of sodomy, and in exchange the prosecution dropped the other 14 charges against him. Judge Charles Graddick sentenced him to 10 years for each count, to be served concurrently.
Assistant D.A. Nicki Patterson said because the victims were under 12, he will serve the full 10 years.
"It's not like for burglary or theft where 10 years means three years," she said. "Ten years means 10."
It's 10 years Johansen's family said is without cause. His mother told Local 15 News the children involved made up the accusations.
"The doctor's report said the children were never touched," said Mary Johansen.
But, she said with 16 charges on the table, her son took the deal that was in his best interest.
"When you take 16 charges between jurors," she said, "you have to beat everything. If they have just one shadow of a doubt on anything, and they convict him of one, he could have gotten life."
While Johansen won't spend life behind bars, he will be required to register as a sex offender.
