A Gary man who was mentally disabled was sentenced Friday to two years in jail and four years probation in a child molesting plea.
Cottreal D. Haney, 44, pleaded guilty but mentally ill in October to Level 4 felony child molesting. Under the terms, he faced from two to six years. He must register as a sex offender.
He was charged with sexually assaulting a preteen girl three different times between October 2020 and January 2021. He was initially charged with Level 1 child molesting and Level 4 child molesting.
His lawyer Lakeisha Murdaugh said he had no prior criminal history.
Venita Haney, his mother, told the court that she and his stepfather depended on him and they had “never been apart.”
“We need him,” she said.
The Post-Tribune is not identifying the victim or her family to protect her identity.
The victim’s mother told the court that the child’s life changed “drastically.” She was anti-social, and struggled with anxiety and stress.
She asked for Haney to be put away, so the girl “can get some rest at night.”
The victim, now a teen, said it “changed the way I am.”
“He used me,” she said.
Murdaugh said Haney lived a “law-abiding life” until he was charged at age 41. She later said that he likely functioned at the same age as the victim. She noted he had developmental issues since birth and prison would be hard on his parents, who depended on him as they grew older. He accepted responsibility with the plea.
She asked for probation.
Deputy Prosecutor Tara Villarreal said the case was “very concerning” and “very sad.” The girl never changed her story, she said.
The girl told police Haney touched her inappropriately while visiting a house in which Haney was living between October 2020 and January 2021. When she told relatives what he did, they confronted him, and he threatened to kill himself and told them “The devil made me do it,” court documents said.
Haney declined to speak in court.
Vasquez said he was in a position of trust.
He noted the case had winding turns – as Haney was first declared incompetent early on. That was changed last summer in a follow-up competency review.
Even so, those with mental handicaps “do not molest” children, he said. “They don’t do what you have done.”
mcolias@post-trib.com
Freelance reporter Michelle L. Quinn contributed.
