CORTLAND, N.Y. – A city resident who had been accused of raping a 39-year-old woman pleaded guilty to two lesser charges in Cortland County Court Tuesday.
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William A. Miles, 33, pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal contempt, a class E felony, and second-degree criminal contempt, a misdemeanor. He faces an indeterminate prison sentence of 1-and-a-half to 3 years in prison.
William A. Miles (City of Cortland Police Department)
Miles was arrested Sep. 29. by the City of Cortland Police Department on charges that included first-degree rape, first-degree burglary, aggravated family offense and first- and second-degree criminal contempt.
Following his arrest, police said that Miles illegally entered a woman's home on East Main Street on Sep. 25 and forced her to have sexual intercourse with him. The woman, who was previously acquainted with Miles, had an order of protection against him, police said.
Cortland County District Attorney Mark Suben said prosecutors elected not to pursue a case on the first-degree rape charge after the victim's account of the incident was called into question.
"Our faith in her candor with respect to the most serious charge is kind of compromised," Suben told Judge William Ames in court Tuesday. "The same cannot be said of the burglary and criminal contempt charges. We feel this is a fair and responsible reduction."
Miles is scheduled to be sentenced April 12.
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