Dayton Man Accepts Plea on Sex Crime Charges

DAYTON – Dayton resident Aidan J. Gemmell, 19, signed a plea agreement filed in Columbia County Superior on Jan. 20. Gemmell was originally charged with five counts of first-degree child rape, a Class A felony. He entered a guilty plea in an agreement that drops the charges to two counts of child molestation in the second degree, a Class A felony.

Gemmell was charged with five instances of sexual misconduct with a minor under the age of twelve, between March and May of 2015. Each of those instances took place after he turned 18. Gemmell and his family have reportedly been cooperative in the investigation, and Gemmell was never arrested on the charges. In August, he entered not guilty pleas on all counts before accepting the plea agreement in January.

Standard range sentencing for each child molestation charge is 57-75 months confinement with 36 months community custody. Gemmell is eligible for the Special Sex Offender Sentencing Alternative (SOSA), which allows for jail time, outpatient treatment, and supervision in lieu of a prison sentence.

Both the State and Gemmell’s defense recommended a SSOSA sentence of 50 days in Columbia County Jail (10 days to be served in confinement with 40 days allowed by electronic monitoring, weekends acceptable), Department of Corrections supervision, sex offender treatment, and fines and costs of $1,680.

Sentencing was postponed until the DOC could conduct a pre-sentencing investigation. That report has been submitted and agreed with the recommended SSOSA 50-day sentence. The report’s authors stated they believe that Gemmell is a low risk as a repeat offender.

Gemmell is scheduled for sentencing in Columbia County Superior Court on March 16.