Jimmy Fennell Pleaded Guilty

KXAN is reporting that Jimmy Fennell has pleaded guilty to "improper sexual activity and kidnapping" and his sentencing his set for Friday, Sept. 26th at 9 a.m

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) -- Jimmy Fennell pleaded guilty and that is the verdict the judge handed down to the former Georgetown police officer.

"Jimmy Fennell decided to plead guilty and open to the judge this morning," said Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley. "The judge found him guilty of improper sexual activity and kidnapping."

In May 2008, Fennell admitted to taking a woman to a secluded area, making her dance for him and then sexually assaulting her. Fennell entered a guilty plea, but Judge Burt Carnes rejected a plea agreement. That agreement would have given Fennell a two year prison sentence, ten years of probation and a $5,000 fine. A jury trial was set for this month.

"Mr. Fennell saw that a jury trial was going to make for a very difficult trial for himself and decided to waive a jury trial and plead guilty to the judge," said Bradley.

Fennell's attorney would not give many details because of the upcoming sentencing. He said that both the defense and prosecutor came to what they call a "compromise settlement". In that agreement, both sides waive a jury trial. The prosecutor will not seek a lengthy sentence and his client agrees to plead guilty. Fennell faced a 200 year sentence, if a jury had found him guilty.

With the new deal, he faces 10 years in prison for kidnapping and two years for the improper sexual activity charge.

His sentencing his set for Friday, Sept. 26th at 9 a.m