photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Kyle Treddell Brass appears at his sentencing hearing on April 15, 2024, in Douglas County District Court. Brass pleaded guilty to a sexually motivated aggravated battery involving a teen girl.

A Lawrence man originally charged with raping a 13 year-old girl was granted probation on Monday after pleading to a lesser crime.

The man, Kyle Treddell Brass, 37, was charged with one felony count of rape of a child, a charge that could have resulted in a life sentence. In March, as part of a plea agreement with the state, Brass pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of one felony count of aggravated battery that was sexually motivated, according to court records. The charges relate to an incident on Dec. 25, 2022, as the Journal-World reported.

The battery charge is a midlevel felony that, given Brass’ lack of a criminal history, state sentencing guidelines consider a “border-box” conviction. Judge Amy Hanley had discretion to sentence Brass to prison or to probation so long as a program exists within the community that will better rehabilitate Brass than prison would.

Hanley found that such a program exists and that Brass has already begun the process to get enrolled in treatment. She sentenced Brass to 32 months in prison, which she suspended to 36 months of probation, in accordance with state sentencing guidelines. In addition, she ordered Brass to register as a sex offender for 15 years.

Prior to his sentence being read, Brass’ attorney, Jessica Glendening, said that Brass has spent the last 305 days in jail completing the jail’s educational programs. She said that Brass’ sex offender evaluation did not show that Brass has a sexual proclivity toward minors.

Glendening said that the incident happened while Brass was using an adult dating site and met the victim. She said the victim had told Brass that she was 19 and Brass failed to verify that information before meeting with the girl and having sex with her.

The victim’s mother addressed the court briefly and said that she hoped that Brass would get the help that he needs while on probation and hopes that he can move past this and live a happy life.

Brass also addressed the victim’s mother, saying “I’m sorry for everything.”