CENTENNIAL — A 20-year-old man, described in court Friday as “developmentally disabled,” was sentenced to a year in jail for sexually assaulting a teenage girl during an alleged group attack.
Daylon Benjamin Hill in August to an attack on a 14-year-old at an Englewood house party in January.
Hill and five others — — were arrested and charged in the case. One juvenile defendant entered a plea and his case is resolved. Four other cases are pending.
In court Friday, Hill, shackled and dressed in a dark blue, jail jump suit, appeared before Arapahoe County District Court Judge Frederick Martinez.
“I’m very sorry for what I did,” Hill said in a very brief statement in which he also asked for probation.
Hill was described in court as a mentally challenged man who reads at a 4th grade level and who possesses a 62 IQ level — recognized as mildly impaired.
Prosecutors and Hill’s defense team agreed, based in part on a pre-sentencing report, that Hill should be sentenced to no more than 18-months in jail.
Hill was cooperative with investigators in the case, helping to establish what happened at the alcohol fueled gathering which went horribly wrong, Deputy District Attorney Cara Morlan told the court.
Morlan and public defender Stephen McCrohan told the court that Hill followed the lead of others during multiple sexual attacks on a victim who was extremely intoxicated, at times defenseless.
Hill was enticed into the group attack by his younger brother, Morlan told the court.
“He was the follower of his younger brother,” Morlan said. “He had no capability, or intent, to be a ring leader.”
In handing down the sentence, Martinez said he was torn between finding justice for the victim who suffered “horror” and “unimaginable” harm; while taking into account Hill’s mitigating mental factors, his cooperation with investigators and his remorse.
Still, Martinez described Hill as a “very dangerous” man, “someone who wanted a green light shown to him.”
Hill will have to register as a sex offender. After his one-year jail term, he will undergo a six-year probationary period which will include intensive psychological supervision, treatment, and counseling.
Martinez warned Hill, who has already served 243-days in jail, that if he fails during probation, he could be sentenced to a prison term.
