Fernando Lopez Changes Plea On Sex Crime Charge

A Casper man is not going to fight charges accusing him of having a sex with a teenager and providing her marijuana.

Twenty-six-year old Fernando Lopez has entered an Alford plea on one charge of second degree sexual assault of a minor, and one count of distribution of a controlled substance to a minor.

The victim told police she had met Lopez in June at the Wyoming Behavioral Institute, and then met several times in July and eventually had sex at one of the city parks.

When interviewed by police, Lopez told them about the incidents and that he had kept her out past curfew.

He also told police that on one occasion, he delivered marijuana to the victim.

While it is not an admission of guilt, an Alford plea acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence for a conviction.

As part of a plea deal, prosecutors will seek no more than a 10-to-17 year prison sentence.

Lopez is being held on $50,000 bond, and will be sentenced at a later date.