A Merrillville man signed a plea deal Thursday admitting he assaulted a “mentally disabled” girl in a hotel.
Karl Harden, 46, pleaded guilty to battery resulting in bodily injury to a disabled person, a Level 5 felony. If a judge accepts the plea, he faces up to six years. He appeared in court briefly Friday.
His sentencing hearing is Oct. 4 before Judge Natalie Bokota.
In the plea deal, Harden admitted he “forcibly” grabbed the girl’s head, neck and groin in a hotel on the 200 block of Louisiana Street in Merrillville.
He was originally charged with two counts of Level 3 felony rape, one count of Level 5 felony battery resulting in bodily injury to a disabled person, Level 6 felony confinement, and Level 6 felony sexual battery.