Phillip Francke pleads guilty to child sexual exploitation and battery

Phillip Francke, 23, was charged in March on ten counts of child sexual exploitation and two counts of sexual battery with a minor.

At his preliminary hearing in October, Francke pleaded not guilty to all counts. But at his change of plea hearing on Monday, he changed his plea to guilty.

Francke pleaded guilty to two counts of child sexual exploitation and one count sexual battery with a minor.

In exchange for his guilty plea, the remaining nine charges were dismissed. This was part of a plea agreement made between Francke and the State.

The agreement calls for two years fixed and eight years indeterminate for Francke. The judge ordered a psychosexual evaluation be done before handing down a sentence.

Francke is scheduled to appear back in court for sentencing on Feb. 21.

Also during court Monday, Francke admitted to the sexual battery charge for engaging in a sexual act resulting in lewd conduct with a minor, who was age 16 at the time.

Francke admits to having sexually explicit pictures and asking the minor to perform certain sexual acts for him.

Francke is already serving two years fixed jail time and eight years indeterminate in Caribou County for similar charges.