By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The 33-year-old man charged with indecent liberties for allegedly grabbing the hand of a 20-year-old special needs student and placing it in his crotch area while the two were working at Sun Bird Shopping Center in Chehalis was sentenced yesterday to 90 days in jail.
Rodney R. Cook, from Olympia, was arrested last month.
The young woman was participating in a program in which students go to local businesses to learn job skills.
Cook entered into a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to two counts of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation and the indecent liberties charge was dropped, according to his lawyer Kevin Nelson.
Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt yesterday accepted the agreed recommendation in which Cook would be given 364 days in jail with all but 90 of them suspended for two years. He’s already served 43 days.
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For background, read “Sunbird employee accused of inappropriately touching developmentally disabled worker” from Thursday August 18, 2016, here