Indiana teen fights sentence in sex case with Michigan girl

ELKHART, Ind. (AP) – A northern Indiana teenager convicted of having sex with a 14-year-old Michigan girl who lied about her age wants to withdraw his guilty plea to avoid being listed as a sex offender.

Nineteen-year-old Zach Anderson pleaded guilty in March to having consensual sex with the Michigan girl late last year. Anderson told authorities the girl said she was 17.

The age of consent in Michigan is 16.

The Elkhart Truth reports Anderson’s attorney filed a motion Tuesday to withdraw the plea. Scott Grabel wants a Michigan law aimed at first-time offenders ages 17 to 21 applied to Anderson’s case.

The law allows young offenders to have criminal convictions expunged if certain conditions are met.

Grabel says possible remedies could include re-sentencing by another judge or a new trial.