A former New York bus driver admitted to raping a 14-year-old girl and received 10 years probation and no jail time for his crime.
According to reports, Shane M. Piche, 26, will register as a Level 1 sex offender as a result of his Feb. 21 guilty plea to third-degree rape. The district attorney’s office originally requested a Level 2 offense, however, Judge McClusky ruled since Shane had no prior convictions and there was only one victim, the Level 1 would suffice.
A Level 1 sex offender is a person who authorities believe will not repeat the crime. That person’s name is then withheld from any online sex offender database.
State police say Piche met the teen when he worked as a bus driver for the Watertown City School District, however, the rape took place at his house. Piche reportedly also gave the teen alcohol and has been charged with first-degree unlawful dealing with a child and endangering the welfare of a child.
When news broke of the judge’s ruling, many online took to Twitter to note black men and women have been jailed for committing lesser crimes, or not even a crime at all.
Shane Piche, white, admitted to raping a 14 yr old girl. He will do NO jail time.
16 yr old Kaleif Browder, African American, spent 3 yrs on Rikers Island awaiting trial on an accusation that he stole a backpack. Much of the time was spent in solitary confinement. https://t.co/x6cDI01HJr
— Kristen Clarke (@KristenClarkeJD) April 29, 2019
Oh my God: https://t.co/a9neXmWH7t
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) April 29, 2019