Texas judge will reconsider sentencing rapist to serve at rape crisis center

DALLAS, May 1 (UPI) -- A Texas judge is reconsidering sentencing a rapist to work at a rape crisis center as part of his probation.

Dallas County District Judge Jeanine Howard decided that defendant Sir Young should serve “250 hours of community service at a rape crisis center” after he pleaded guilty to a 2011 rape charge.

In addition to community service, Howard also ruled that Young should serve 45 days in jail and spend two days behind bars each year beginning on October 4 -- the anniversary of the rape -- during his five years of probation.

But Howard may have gotten too creative with the sentence.

“I’m sure she probably thought that it was his way of giving back perhaps. But it’s just not an appropriate place for him to do his community supervision,” Bobbie Villareal, the executive director of the Dallas Area Rape Crisis Center, told WFAA. "Just having a criminal defendant in the office could be a triggering effect for many of our clients."

When Villareal was contacted by the probation department about Young working at the center, she said thanks, but no thanks.

“[We] had a really nice conversation with them, but told them -- first of all -- that we have a strict policy on our volunteers,” Villareal said. “They can have no criminal backgrounds whatsoever.”

According to Howard’s court coordinator, Young’s community service plan is being modified.