GREENFIELD — An Athol man was sentenced to five to seven years in prison on Thursday after changing his plea on eight charges related to child sexual abuse. Timothy M. Erikson, 47, appeared in Franklin County Superior Court to plead guilty to five counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, two counts of rape and abuse of a child under 16 years of age, and one count of furnishing alcohol to a person under 21 years of age.
He will be subject to eight years of probation once he is released. Judge Jane Mulqueen accepted the plea deal reached by the prosecution and the defense after hearing the facts of the case, two victim-impact statements and Erikson’s guilty pleas. Stephanie Jimenez, the assistant district attorney on the case, explained that the offenses occurred in 2021, when Erikson was 44 years old and the victim was 13.
The victim and her father left the courtroom as Jimenez described the illegal contact between Erikson and the victim, who reportedly thought the defendant was “a really nice guy” that she had “considered like an uncle.” The victim’s father was visibly shaking and repeatedly fought back tears as he read a lengthy impact statement expressing his anger and guilt for not being able to protect his daughter, who was in eighth grade when the crimes took place. “I told all my girls that Tim is family,” he said.
“I unknowingly put a target on my daughter.” He said he now has trust issues and regularly drinks before going to be.
