Plea doesn’t keep man from coaching

Erica D. Johnson

Thursday, Dec. 26, 2002 | 10:10 a.m.

The agreement that allowed a former youth football coach to plead guilty to a lesser charge after being accused of sexual assault of two boys doesn't prevent him from working with children again.

Stephen Micciche pleaded guilty to one felony count of child abuse and neglect pursuant to an Alford plea, which means he doesn't dispute the facts of the case but believes the plea was in his best interest.

Micciche was originally charged with three felony counts of lewdness with a child under the age of 14, sexual assault with a child under the age of 14 and first-degree kidnapping.

District Judge Michael Cherry sentenced him to one to two years in the Clark County Detention Center but suspended the sentence and placed him on probation for five years.

There is no stipulation in Micciche's probation that prevents him from contact with minor children, said his attorney, Scott Olifant.

Micciche also isn't required to register as a sex offender because the charge he was convicted of is not deemed a sexual crime, Olifant said.

Olifant said his client should be able to work with children if he chooses and that people shouldn't be outraged by the light sentence.

"He had an error in judgment to take two kids out on a foray without specific permission from the parents," Olifant said. "But he doesn't represent any risk to the public. In contrast, parents should be more concerned about entrusting their children to certain institutions with predatory members and a history of sweeping their misdeeds under the rug."

Micciche was arrested after he took the boys, ages 10 and 14, to a concert and didn't return with them, police said.

The boys' mothers reported them missing the next morning.

Micciche was friends with one of the boys' mothers and the woman had let her son spend the night at Micciche's house in the past, Olifant said.

"There was no medical evidence," he said, criticizing the molestation allegation and saying it came from a source that wasn't credible.

The plea agreement came after one of the boys denied that any sexual molestation occurred, District Attorney Craig Hendricks said.

The child abuse and neglect charge was filed because Micciche exposed the boys to pornography and marijuana, Hendricks said.

By accepting the plea agreement, Micciche avoided a possible sentence of 10 years to life.

Micciche, who is unmarried and has no children of his own, was going to take the boys to a show at the Hard Rock Hotel, but decided to sell the tickets instead, Olifant said.

When it became late, Micciche paid for a hotel room, Olifant said.

Olifant said the pornography was not purchased but was a complimentary booklet handed out on the Strip.

"It was the type that seemingly every teenager has had a healthy interest in," Olifant said. "Much like wanting to look at their dad's Playboy collection."

All adults, particularly those with no children of their own, should realize the enormous risks involved in working with children, Olifant said.

"Kindness is often perceived as an unhealthy interest in kids," he said. "Often, people with good intentions can become victims of untrue, heinous allegations."