Man, 20, gets only 180 days in prison for raping girls aged 4 and 9: 'No moving on'

Mohamed Bakari Shei will not have his name added to the sex offenders registry despite having been convicted.

09:05, Thu, Feb 2, 2023 | UPDATED: 09:05, Thu, Feb 2, 2023

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A 20-year-old man in Minnesota will only serve 180 days in jail for raping two girls aged 4 and 9. Mohamed Bakari Shei struck a plea deal with prosecutors and agreed to go to prison for less than six months as well as to 200 hours of community service. Shei will also not be included in the sex offenders registry but will serve up to 30 years of probation.

The Minnesota man was facing three different felony first-degree criminal conduct charges in two different cases.

His deal with prosecutors called for no prison time despite the advice he is convicted to 12 years.

The agreement also included a stay of adjudication as well as the dismissal of two of the three charges against Shei.

One of the girls involved in the case was nine and another girl was believed to have been only four at the time the sexual abuse began.

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minnesota Mohamed Bakari Shei rape underage girls

Mohamed Bakari Shei filed an Alford plea on charges of raping two underage girls (Image: OLMSTED COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE)

minnesota man rape community service

Shei will also need to complete 200 hours of community service (Image: GETTY)

A survivor of the 20-year-old rapist broke down in tears as she said "there is no moving on or getting over it. I've tried."

A relative of one of the victims said they had lost the bubbly girls who loved to share with others as she exponentially withdrew and became more reclusive after Shei's abuse.

They said: "Some day you will have to answer for this egregious act against a child."

Shei was 15 and 16 when he assaulted his victims and was initially charged in juvenile court in 2019.

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According to Olmsted County Senior Attorney Thomas Gort, the initial charges against Shei were initially dismissed because Covid delays caused authorities to lose the jurisdiction to prosecute.

But the charges were soon refiled and prosecutors struck the deal with Shei for no prison time to secure a certification showing he would not challenge certification in adult court.

Shei filed an Alford plea in December 2022. An Alford plea is filed when a defendant does not admit guilt but concedes a jury would convict based on the evidence.

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Mohamed Bakari Shei prison sentence

Shei could only serve 116 days if he behaves (Image: GETTY)

James McGeeney, lawyer for the defence, argued the court had no remit to impose jail time as conviction to a longer period would violate "the spirit" of the deal.

Judge Allen told Shei his actions and the way he made his victims feel "should be something that haunts you."

Shei could serve only 116 days at most with good behaviour inside Olmsted County Adult Detention Center.

At the end of his prison time, which will begin on February 13, he will need to complete 200 hours of community service as well as participate in a sex offender programme.