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LAYTON, Utah (AP) -- A Kearns man accused of attempting to abduct a 14-year-old North Salt Lake girl has entered a plea to reduced misdemeanor charges after witnesses changed their stories.
Gary G. Garza, 25, appeared Wednesday in 2nd District Court and entered an Alford plea to class A misdemeanor sexual battery and two class B misdemeanor counts unlawful detention. An Alford plea means the defendant maintains his innocence but agrees that prosecutors may have enough evidence for conviction.
Garza originally was charged felony criminal solicitation and attempted kidnapping charges plus battery.
According to police, the 14-year-old girl first talked to Garza after she misdialed her cell phone. He then met her and two 13-year-old girls at a North Salt Lake apartment. The girls told police Garza later attempted to pull the 14-year-old girl into his car.
Deputy Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said in court that the charges were reduced because testimony by the 13-year-old girls during the preliminary hearing was different from what they had told police.
Defense attorney Joseph Jardine said his client was misled by the minors and left immediately after a brief discussion in the apartment.
Rawlings said the mother of the 14-year-old girl opposed the plea deal. Neither she nor any of the alleged victims were in court Wednesday.
Sentencing was set for Sept. 15 in Farmington.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
