Sex offender sentenced for relationship with teens
By Anne Marie Kyzer

A local man has pleaded guilty to having sexual relationships with two underage girls as young as 13, one of whom has since given birth to his baby.

Patrick Lamar Roberson, 22, was arrested in June 2005 on felony charges stemming from his misconduct with the girls. He pleaded guilty to two counts of statutory rape and one count of criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault before Superior Court Judge William M. Fleming last week.

Judge Fleming sentenced Roberson to eight years in prison and seven years of probation, according to Assistant District Attorney Ashley Wright.

Both of the victims, 13 and 15, have mothered children since their relationships with Roberson, but only one of the babies was proven to be his child through DNA testing.

Roberson reportedly came close to running over the mother of one of the girls in his car when he came to pick the child up without permission, resulting in the criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault charge.

Although Roberson was indicted on 11 felony counts relating to four minors, the mothers of two of the girls later signed affidavits saying they did not wish to press charges, Wright said.

The original charges, including rape, kidnapping, aggravated assault, three counts of child molestation, three counts of statutory rape, enticing a child for indecent purposes and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, were reduced as part of a plea agreement.