photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Zane Jacob Baugh

Updated at 1:40 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10

A Missouri man pleaded no contest Thursday in Douglas County District Court to aggravated battery in a case that was originally charged as rape.

The man, Zane J. Baugh, 26, of Kansas City, Missouri, was charged in March 2022 with one count of raping a 21-year-old in September 2019 in Baldwin City. On Thursday he pleaded to the lesser crime of felony aggravated battery, with no sexual component.

Baugh was ordered to stand trial on the rape charge after a preliminary hearing on May 11, but indicated he would accept a plea agreement in June.

According to the police affidavit in support of Baugh’s arrest, the woman told police in April of 2021 that she and a friend attended a party in 2019 at which she had four to six drinks. She said that Baugh was at the party and that the two of them consumed some shots of alcohol together. She was sitting on a couch when Baugh sat down next to her and started kissing her. She was surprised and after a couple of minutes she asked Baugh to stop, which he did, according to the affidavit.

The woman then told Baugh that she was tired and needed to go to bed. Baugh offered the woman his bed at the house and said she could sleep with him, according to the affidavit. The woman told police she did not see it as a sexual advance and did not think Baugh would touch her, according to the affidavit.

Once in bed, the woman said she was hot and removed her jeans. While she was lying in the bed Baugh removed the woman’s underwear, she said. She told police that when Baugh did that she was “in shock and felt frozen.” Baugh then began to have sex with her. She repeatedly told Baugh “no” and to “get off” of her, according to the affidavit, and finally was able to push Baugh away after six to 10 minutes.

As part of Baugh’s plea agreement, he is required to undergo a sex offender evaluation; however, he will not be required to register as a sex offender.

Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden said that Baugh’s attorney, John DeMarco, will be permitted to argue for a departure from the Kansas sentencing guidelines and ask the court to grant Baugh probation instead of prison.

The aggravated battery charge is a high-level felony that comes with a mandatory prison sentence under the sentencing guidelines even for someone with no criminal history. Judge Sally Pokorny will rule on whether to grant a motion for departure during Baugh’s sentencing hearing.

Baugh has been free on a $25,000 surety bond since shortly after his arrest in March of 2022. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 15.

The Journal-World has requested Baugh’s booking photo from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.