(Eds: Updating with more details)New York, Dec 8 (PTI) A 25-year-old Indian sportsman,arrested in the US on charges of sexually abusing a minorgirl, has avoided trial by pleading guilty to endangering thewelfare of a child and would be deported, authorities said.
Tanveer Hussain, a snowshoe racer from Kashmir, wascharged with first-degree sexual abuse, a felony, andendangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanour for"engaging in a passionate kiss" with a 12-year-old victim and"touching her in an intimate area over her clothing".
He was arrested on March 1 following the incident whichtook place on February 27 at a village bed and breakfast.
The athlete had travelled to Saranac Lake in upstate NewYork, from Kashmir, with fellow athlete Abid Hussain Khan toparticipate in the World Snowshoe Championships from February23 to 25.
He faced two to seven years of jail and a post-releasesupervision for three to 10 years.
Hussain entered the plea in a Essex County Court, thedistrict attorney in New York State said yesterday.
"From day one of this investigation, the child witnesshas been degraded, called a liar and victimised by people whosupported Hussain financially and emotionally," Essex CountyDeputy Attorney Kristy Sprague said in a statement.
"This plea of guilty is an admission of guilt, andTanveer Hussain admitted to his criminal conduct involving achild, which was done under oath and with aid of [legal]counsel and an interpreter," she said.
Sprague hoped that this admission of guilt by Hussainwill alleviate the stress and anguish the child and her familyhave endured.
The Essex County grand jury had earlier indicted Hussainon one count of first-degree sexual abuse and two counts ofendangering the welfare of a child.
As part of his plea agreement, the other two counts weredismissed, an official statement said.
Hussain will now be deported as his visa has expired inAugust.
Village Trustee Rich Shapiro and his wife Lindy Ellis,where he has been living since March, when the couple bailedhim out of jail, said deportation proceedings brought by theDistrict Attorney through the Immigration and CustomsEnforcement are vindictive and unnecessary, local newspaperthe Adirondack Daily Enterprise reported.
Shapiro said Hussain's mother has been ill and put off asurgery until he returned, and that Hussain's sister postponedher wedding.
He said Hussain wants to go home and had plans to fly outof JFK airport in New York City on Sunday, the daily reported.
However, the process of deportation could take months.
Shapiro said Hussain made it clear in the court that hehad pleaded guilty out of desperation and maintains hisinnocence in actuality. PTI LKJ SMJ AKJAKJ.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.