Merrimack Woman Pleads Guilty to Assaulting 3-Year-Old

A Merrimack woman facing the possibility of spending the rest of her life in prison on multiple counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault, accepted a plea agreement on Tuesday that, if given the recommended sentence, requires her to serve only a year in jail, according to an article in the Nashua Telegraph.

Melinda Corson, 43, also known as Melinda Powers, of 18 Camp Sargent Road, Merrimack, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, a class B felony, just before a hearing was set to start regarding whether the child's memory of the alleged assaults would be admissible in court. The child who was 3 at the time, and is now 16, will read a statement in court at a plea hearing on March 26.

Corson was indicted on June 3, 2011 on 10 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault and three counts of felonious sexual assault. Court paperwork says Corson allegedly engaged in numerous sexual acts with the child between 1999-2001. Each of those charges could have carried a 10-30 year prison sentence. Her agreement recommends a one year jail sentence, two years of probation and registering as a low tier sex offender.

Read more about the case and Tuesday's plea agreement hearing.