Trial Ends During Selection of Jury : Man Pleads Guilty to Molesting His Stepson

The stepfather of an 11-year-old boy interrupted the selection of a jury in his trial Wednesday to plead guilty to 21 counts of molesting the child.

The 36-year-old man, whose name is being withheld by The Times to protect the identity of the boy, confessed to police following his arrest last July that he abused the child for several years, Deputy Dist. Atty. Nina Brice said.

3 to 48 Years

Superior Court Judge John J. Ryan told the man following his plea that “in all likelihood, you’re going to be sentenced to state prison for someplace between three years and 48 years” when he is sentenced March 15.

63 Original Counts

The defendant, who has been in jail since his arrest, was originally charged with 63 counts of molesting the child. After he pleaded guilty to molesting the child once a month for the 21 months from May, 1981, to January, 1983, the remaining 42 counts were dismissed.

Brice said the molestation came to light when the stepfather’s marriage broke off and the boy was sent to live with relatives of his mother. He told the relatives, and they notified police, the prosecutor said.