Tribes Hill man admits child rape, faces 19 years in prison

PHOTOGRAPHER: Steven Cook

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A Tribes Hill man admitted Wednesday to raping a child and providing the child to another man to rape, as well.

David A. Andrews, 61, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Montgomery County Court to one count of first-degree rape, a felony. In exchange for his plea, he accepted a sentence of 19 years in prison. He had faced up to 25 years to life had he been convicted at a trial.

He admitted to raping the child over a two-month period in 2012. Under questioning by the prosecutor, Andrews also admitted to contacting another man, Neal D. Sommers, through an Internet site. Sommers had posted an ad on the site and Andrews responded, prosecutors said, then Sommers also raped the victim, identified only as a girl younger than 13.

Sommers, 27, of Albany, also appeared in Montgomery County Court on Wednesday. He rejected a deal offered to him that included a sentence of 14 years in prison.

With his rejection, prosecutors will now move to indict him. If convicted of the top count he currently faces, predatory sexual assault against a child, Sommers could get as much as 25 years to life in prison.

“In light of the fact that the offer was not accepted, it will be withdrawn and the matter will be presented to the grand jury very shortly,” Assistant Montgomery County District Attorney Kelli McCoski said in court.

McCoski was also the prosecutor in court for Andrews’ plea.

The two men were arrested in April, after an investigation that began with leads developed by the state police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Andrews was accused of arranging over the Internet to provide Sommers with the girl to rape twice, state police said at the time of his arrest. Andrews was also charged with raping her repeatedly over the course of several months.

Both Andrews and Sommers remain in custody.

Presiding over the two appearances was Montgomery County Court Judge Felix Catena.