Per reports, the then-22-year-old man, Meili, met the 11-year-old child on an online dating app and began chatting with her. Shortly after, their communication became romantic and the 11-year-old girl, unfortunately, agreed to meet up with the man at his home. Prosecutors said that the 22-year-old man drove the girl to his apartment, where the girl says she accidentally fell asleep. The 11-year-old girl told investigators that she reportedly felt strange when she woke up at Meili’s apartment, feeling like something se-ual had happened to her.
Just days later, she told investigators that the 22-year-old man had se* with her, which the authorities confirmed through a DNA sample in the child’s underwear. Prosecutors said that the girl also tested positive for chamydia, a se-ually transmitted disease. After pleading guilty to first-degree statutory ra-e, first-degree statutory sod-my, and child kidnapping, Meili should’ve spent years in prison. However, the admitted ra-ist won’t even see the inside of a prison cell thanks to the incredible deal he received. For pleading guilty to the ra-e and kidnapping, Meili’s charges were reduced to just one count of third-degree child molestation.
Despite his charges being drastically reduced, Meili still faced 3 to 10 years in prison along with a $10,000 fine. However, he was given only 5 years of supervised probation after the judge heard his disturbing excuse. Meili told Judge Calvin that he believed the 11-year-old girl was actually 18. Additionally, he blamed his child victim for the ra-e, claiming that he was “essentially catfished” by the girl after she told him online that she was older and her profile listed her as being 18. “He felt horrible about the entire incident,” his attorney, Scott, said. “He’s going to be required to register as a se* offender for the rest of his life … It’s a tough case. Neither side is really going to get justice here.”
The prosecution later confirmed that it was “absolutely” impossible that Meili believed the girl was 18 years old, as she was identifiably much younger from her physical features alone. Still, the County Senior Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Elizabeth believes that it was willful ignorance that led him to go ahead with the se-ual assault. Even with his plea deal, prosecutors recommended that Meili serve at least 120 days in a se* offender treatment program and up to 7 years in prison for his crimes. However, Judge Holden only gave him probation, allowing him to literally get away with the ra-e of a vulnerable child. Dear readers, we are republishing this story amid recent reports that child se-ual abuse has surged in the U.S. during the pandemic.
