A Bethel jury found Nathan Agwiak not guilty of sexual assault on Tuesday. The case dates back three years to a party in St. Mary's, and revolved around consent.
At trial, Agwiak’s alleged victim testified that she and Agwiak went to the same small party at a friend’s house in 2015. She said that she fell asleep in a friend’s bedroom and woke up with Agwiak on top of her. When a State Trooper interviewed Agwiak about the crime, he claimed that he never slept with his alleged victim. DNA evidence suggested that he did.
Assistant Public Advocate William Montgomery acknowledged that his client lied to law enforcement. Agwiak panicked when the Trooper approached him, he said, but that didn’t mean he sexually assaulted anyone.
Montgomery argued that the sex Agwiak had with his alleged victim was consensual, and that he had an eyewitness to prove it. At trial, a woman who also attended the party testified on Agwiak’s behalf. She said that she had walked in on Agwiak and his alleged victim while they were sleeping together and said that she did not see Agwiak sexually assaulting anyone.
The jury took less than an hour to deliver its not guilty verdict.