Hunter
09/25/20
A former Cedar Rapids schools custodian faces up to 40 years in prison after his conviction on four counts of third-degree sexual abuse.
The incidents allegedly involved a 14-year-old girl over a one-year period.
The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that during Thursday’s hearing, 53-year-old Michael Lynn Beard admitted to at least four separate sex acts with the girl between June 2018 and July 2019 at a Cedar Rapids residence.
The victim told authorities Beard started sexually abusing her when she was 13.
Beard worked in several schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, starting in 1992 and ending in September 2019, a month after he was charged.
Robert Sosalla, Senior Judge for the 6th Judicial District, told Beard that he won’t be eligible for a suspended or deferred sentence. When sentenced, he will be given lifetime parole and must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. The sentencing judge could make him serve his sentences consecutively, for a total of 40 years in prison.
Beard was out on bail; he was taken into custody following the hearing. He’s set to be sentenced November 17th.