By REBECCA EVERETT
Daily Hampshire Gazette
@GazetteRebecca
NORTHAMPTON — A 33-year-old Springfield man received a suspended jail sentence and probation after admitting in Northampton District Court yesterday that he sexually assaulted two children in Huntington during the 1990s when he was a juvenile himself.
Michael L. Durgin pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 as part of a plea agreement. The prosecution, represented by Assistant Northwestern District Attorney Caleb Weiner, agreed to dismiss four other charges: assault with intent to rape, giving obscene material to a minor, and two additional counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.
According to court records, Durgin sexually assaulted the victims in Huntington on various occasions while he was between the ages of 11 and 17. One victim was assaulted between Nov. 24, 1992, and Nov. 23, 1998, and the second victim between Jan. 9, 1994, and Feb. 25, 1999, according to court documents.
The case originated in Hampshire Franklin Juvenile Court because Durgin was a minor when he committed the crimes. It was transferred to Northampton District Court on Dec. 18.
“The district attorney’s office is proud of the courage shown by the victims in this case, and believes that this sentence will protect the public, punish the defendant, and provide him with opportunities for rehabilitation,” Weiner said in a statement emailed to the Gazette.
He declined to provide details about the crimes. Additional details were unavailable because some court documents were sealed to protect the privacy of the victims, who were minors.
Judge W. Michael Goggins sentenced Durgin to two years in the Hampshire County House of Correction, with 106 days to be served and the remainder suspended for three years, and three years probation. Durgin was given credit for 106 days he served in connection with the case in 2014, so his probation began Monday.
Goggins ordered Durgin to register as a sex offender and undergo sex offender treatment. While on probation, he will be required to wear a GPS monitoring device, stay out of areas as established by the Probation Department, and stay away from the victims. He also is prohibited from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 18, including residing in a home with children, and from working or volunteering in a role that would require him to have contact with children.
Rebecca Everett can be reached at [email protected].
