KPTM FOX 42: Omaha News, Sports and Weather; kptm.com |Judge Sentences Omaha Teen in Sexual Assault Case

Jonathan Athens

OMAHA (KPTM) -- An Omaha teen convicted of sexually assaulting two children, a brother and sister, is on indefinite probation and must undergo sex offender counseling.

A Douglas County Juvenile Court Judge handed down the sentence Thursday. He also ruled the 14-year-old boy will remain living at home with his parents but that boy must also wear an electronic monitor.

The teen was 13 years old at the time of the offense. He and a 12-year-old boy threatened and intimidated the little girl to commit sex acts on them and her brother, who was 6-years-old at the time.

It happened last year in June. The two boys took pictures and made videos of the assault on their cell phones, according to court documents.

The case brought to light the distinction as to how the justice systems deals differently with children who commit sex crimes as compared to adults.

"Because they are children, we shouldn't hold them to the same level of responsibility as we would an adult...and so we refer to them as children with sexual behavior problems," said Vickie Peyton, a counselor with Lutheran Family Services.

Peyton said children who engage in such behavior do not understand the consequences of their actions. Those that undergo treatment are at an extremely low risk to re-offend, she said, adding the recidivism rate for those children is one percent.

Steve Lefler, the teenager's attorney, said he though the sentence was fair given the circumstances.

Lefler said he hopes the 14-year-old and the other boy will end up "being productive citizens."

The parents of the victims could not be reached for comment.

The other boy who was found guilty in December 2011 of first-degree sexual assault will be sentenced next week.