GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. -- 18-year-old Kiari Hill's life changed in a matter of seconds. The former Orange Park High School football player pleaded guilty to attacking two young girls.
"Overall it was a fair resolution for Mr. Hill," said defense attorney Mark Wright. "He resolved all of his cases for 5 years of probation."
Wright says they began considering the plea deal this morning when the jury was still out for the second day.
"I strongly suspected that because of the length of time that the jury was out, that they were not going to make a decision," said Wright.
If Hill didn't plead guilty today, he could've faced up to 30 years in prison, not including his other two charges. The plea deal means Hill received a sentence for time served, which is 379 days. The judge also sentenced Hill to five years of sex offender probation with electronic monitoring. He will be designated a sex offender for his lifetime.
Hill's family says, although they're not happy about the outcome, they're relieved to see Kiari come home.
"I was happy that he's coming home but some of the stuff that he has to do, I don't agree with," said Kierra Priester, Hill's sister.
Priester says she stands by her belief that her brother is innocent. "He's not a sex offender. He's not a monster. He's not a harm to anyone. It just was a whole bunch of lies."
Action News reached out to the prosecution and the young woman who testified against Hill in this case. Neither would speak on camera.
Hill pleaded guilty to charges of attempted sexual battery by multiple perpetrators, lewd and lascivious battery and aggravated assault. Police arrested him in September of 2011. A teenage girl told a guidance counselor Hill attacked her at her home. Investigators said she was watching a movie when he got a belt, tied her up, and had sex with her.
Hill's teammate and friend, Sherrod Lawson, who allegedly took turns with Hill assaulting a girl, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual battery. He will be registered as a sex offender for five years.
