A Mitchell man originally charged with first-degree rape admitted Tuesday to touching an 8-year-old girl inappropriately on two occasions.
Chad Voeltz, 43, pleaded guilty Tuesday at the Davison County Public Safety Center in Mitchell to making sexual contact with an 8-year-old girl between May 31, 2009, to Sept. 1, 2010, and pleaded no contest to a second sexual contact charge between the same dates.
Voeltz was initially charged with first-degree rape, a Class C felony, and attempted sexual contact with a child under 16 after the girl approached law enforcement on May 11 and said she was raped by Voeltz about four times, according to court documents.
Voeltz admitted Tuesday to placing his hand in the girl's pants while she was on a couch in his residence.
The two charges are Class 3 felonies, each punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine. South Dakota law requires a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison for each charge, but a judge may deviate from the requirement.
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A psychosexual evaluation was ordered, along with an updated presentence investigation.
Sentencing in the case was scheduled for January.
Voeltz was placed on the sex offender registry in 2011 after he pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing, manufacturing or distributing child pornography.
