Massey pleads guilty to amended charge following hung jury

Feb. 28--A month after the sexual abuse trial of an Ames man ended in a hung jury, the defendant has pleaded guilty to an amended charge, according to Story County Attorney Jessica Reynolds.

Kenneth Chad Massey, 19, pleaded guilty to indecent exposure at a hearing Monday, almost a year after he was originally charged with two counts of third-degree sexual abuse, possession of a controlled substance, interference with official acts and failure to appear. He was accused of sexually abusing an 18-year-old woman while she was unconscious in 2015.

Jurors in Massey's first trial failed to reach a verdict after deliberating for about 11 hours.

The trial, which took nearly a week, was held in Story County District Court in Nevada.

Story County Assistant Attorney Jonathan Holscher argued Massey knew what he was doing that night, and took advantage of the victim while she was passed out at a party, where she had been heavily drinking.

Massey's attorney, Dan Gonnerman, implored the jury to keep an open mind throughout, and said that the victim came to the conclusion that Massey was the culprit, simply because she remembered a "dark figure" on top of her, and Massey was one of two black men at the party.

Reynolds said that the state suggests Massey receive a 10-year suspended sentence and be forced to register as a sex offender.

His sentencing is anticipated for sometime in late March.

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