Change of plea hearing in case of former Marine postponed
A Yuma County Superior Court judge has continued a change-of-plea hearing for the former Marine accused of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl.
Attorney Michael Donovan, in providing an update on the status of the case in Yuma County Superior Court on Tuesday, said that his client has been offered a plea agreement, but there are two matters within it that he would like to discuss with prosecutors before his client accepts it.
As such, Donovan, who represents Jaylen Jackson, asked the court to reschedule his client’s change of plea hearing for sometime later this month. Jackson appeared at the hearing via video feed from the courtroom inside the jail.
Upon hearing no opposition from the prosecution, Superior Court Judge Brandon Kinsey granted Donovan’s request and scheduled Jackson’s next hearing for 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 26.
Jackson, who remains in custody at the Yuma County jail on a $75,000 cash-only bond, has been charged with two counts of sexual conduct with a minor under the age of 15. Both charges carry mandatory prison sentences if convicted at trial.
Jackson was taken into custody at approximately 2:10 a.m. at the front gates of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma on April 22, 2020.
According to Yuma police, at approximately 11:36 p.m. April 21, officers responded to a report of a sexual offense at Friendship Park, in the 1600 block of West 34th Place.
During the course of the investigation, information was developed that led to Jackson’s arrest.