Defendant in Grove Lake sexual assault case pleads guilty

Joey Crooker, 37, incarcerated in the county jail, changed his plea when he faced the Honorable James Kube for a pretrial hearing last week in the Antelope County district courtroom.

Crooker was charged with one felony count, first-degree sexual assault, alleged June 29 at a Grove Lake campground.

Crooker, who is represented by Antelope County public defender Patrick Carney, and prosecutor Joe Abler reached a plea agreement. Terms of the agreement included Abler reducing the charge to third-degree sexual assault, a Class 1 misdemeanor, in exchange for Crooker’s guilty plea. Abler said he sent...