LAUREL - A Laurel man turned in by his girlfriend last year for molesting a young boy now admits that he did the crime.
Steven Ryan Wilson, 29, pleaded guilty earlier this week in Yellowstone County District Court to the charge of sexual assault.
Wilson admitted he molested a 9-year-old boy at a Laurel residence for as long as four months. His girlfriend walked in on the abuse and immediately reported Wilson to police.
Wilson was also charged with sexual intercourse without consent in the initial charges against him, but that charge was dismissed in the plea agreement.
Prosecutors will recommend a sentence of 50 years to the Montana State Prison with 20 years suspended. Because of the victim's age, Wilson would not be eligible for parole during the first 25 years.
Wilson has been held at the county jail on a $75,000 bond since his arrest.