Defendant in Grove Lake sexual assault case sentenced

Joey Crooker, 37, of Ainsworth, formerly of Page, was sentenced by the Honorable Mark Johnson in the Antelope County district courtroom last Wednesday, Feb. 26.

Crooker, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of sexual assault pursuant to a plea agreement reached in December, has a previous sexual assault conviction, in 2002. He was questioned by the judge prior to passing sentence regarding his understanding of his previous sentence.

"I understood," Crooker replied. "I just lost my head."

"At some point in time you need to understand these matters can really turn really bad for you if you enjoy your freedom. Spending life in prison is not an enjoyable time. There are a lot of folks you wouldn't like there and you would have to spend a long time associating with them," Johnson admonished.

The judge then sentenced him to 245 days in the Antelope County Jail, with credit for 129 days previously served, a $1,000 fine and $148 costs of prosecution. He ordered 15 years registration on the Nebraska Sex Offender Registry as well. Factoring good time, Crooker had one day remaining to serve in jail. He was remanded to the custody of sheriff Bob Moore.

If he had been convicted of the original Class 2 felony charge for the crime committed June 20 at a Grove Lake campground, he faced up to 50 years in prison and a potential lifetime SOR registration order.

He was represented by Antelope County public defender Patrick Carney of Norfolk.