Published: July 25, 2008 01:21 am            

COURTS: Teens plead not guilty to sexual misconduct charges

Two teens facing their second sexual misconduct charges in two years appeared in court Thursday morning.

Nicholas M. Smith, 18, of Crosby Avenue and Antonio Sheppard, 18, of Gabriel Drive are each charged with sexual misconduct for allegedly having consensual sex with two 15-year-old girls.

Both pleaded not guilty Thursday in Lockport Town Court.

State Police Investigator Thomas Gibbons said the alleged incident took place in March at a home in the Town of Lockport.

Gibbons said the sex was consensual, but illegal because of the ages of the girls.

Smith and Sheppard were both arrested in 2006 after a 15-year-old girl told Lockport police she was raped and sexually abused by them and two other boys at a Lock Street home.

Sheppard pleaded guilty before trial to endangering the welfare of a child, admitting he took a video of the incident on his cell phone.

A jury found Smith guilty of sexual misconduct.

Smith’s attorney in that case, Anthony Lana, is representing him again on the new charges.

Lana said Thursday that it’s too early to comment on the new case.

“We’re still in the information-gathering stage,” he said.

Sheppard is out on $1,000 bail, and Smith was released with no bail.

Contact reporter April Amadon at 439-9222, ext. 6251.

        

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