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VIERA, FLA---As a jury was being selected in the child molestation case of a former sixth grade teacher at Endeavour Elementary School, in Brevard County, he pleaded guilty to molesting a 12-year-old male student and faces up to 260 years in prison.
Daniel Cliatt, 30, had previously refused a plea bargain deal that would have resulted in a term of 40 to 50 years. He will be sentenced on Jan. 16.
He was facing trial on 13 counts of sexual battery and child molestation and is still facing charges involving three other past students. Had he accepted the plea deal, he would not have had to face a second trial as all charges would have been merged into one agreement.
His attorney, Michael Dwyer, said that there were specific reasons why Cliatt pleaded only to one case. He said that Cliatt did not want to go to trial, in part because of the publicity it would have received. 11-24-06
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© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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