Victim recants statement at sentencing

The victim in a lewdness case recanted under oath on Wednesday her claim her father put his hand down her pants.

The girl told a courtroom full of people that she made the story up because she was angry at her parents. She testified that she was not pressured by family members to recant.

"I know what my dad did and he didn't do anything," she said. "I'm failing every class because my dad isn't there to help me."

Speaking at the sentencing of Charles Eugene Nielsen II, 48, who admitted a charge of gross misdemeanor attempted lewdness, his adopted daughter said she lied to police.

"I have a tendency to lie about a lot of things," she said.

"How can I believe you now," Justice of the Peace Jim EnEarl asked her.

"I'm telling the truth now," she replied.

Prosecutor Laurie Trotter played the 911 tape that resulted in Nielsen's March 22 arrest and a recording of a phone call between the father and daughter taped after he was arrested.

In the call, the girl's mother asks police to come to their home. Trotter said the girl could be heard sobbing uncontrollably in the background and that she said "put his finger" before she was cut off.

In the subsequent phone message, Nielsen could be heard telling his daughter she shouldn't be sorry

"I'm the one that's sorry," he told her. "Tell you're mom I'm sorry."

Defense attorney Kris Brown, her voice charged with anger, pleaded with EnEarl to release her client.

"I've watched this family self destruct," she said in asking EnEarl to sentence her client to time served. "I've seen the harm done in this case."

She said Nielsen pleaded guilty so his daughter wouldn't have to testify against him.

Nielsen was sentenced to 180 days in jail. Of that 134 days were suspended for one year on the condition Nielsen attend counseling. EnEarl told Nielsen he could not be with the girl unless there was another adult present.

He will have to register as a sex offender.