Judge ends probation early for convicted child molester

SOUTH BEND — A 57-year-old man who served no prison time for his 2008 felony child molestation conviction received an early release from probation Friday. Michael P. Sheneman pleaded guilty in April 2008 to Class D felony sexual misconduct with a minor for having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl. The binding plea agreement meant a judge could not impose prison time for Sheneman and he was eventually sentenced to one year, which was suspended, and three years of probation. At a short hearing today, St. Joseph Superior Court Judge Jerome Frese said he had received repeated requests from Sheneman to have his probation modified, which the judge had previously denied. But Frese accepted a September motion by Sheneman to reconsider his request. Probation reports indicated Sheneman had gone above and beyond his terms of probation, the judge said, completing 200 more hours of community service than the requested 1,000. The judge terminated the remaining time of Sheneman’s probation, which included a little more than a year. The Sheneman case is one rooted in twists and turns since he first pleaded guilty in 2008. Sheneman’s plea agreement with the state initially required that he testify at trial against another man who had worked to set up sexual encounters for Sheneman with the victim, according to past reports. But after entering his plea before Frese, Sheneman spoke to The Tribune and said he had not committed the crime to which he had just pleaded guilty. After reading a Tribune story detailing how Sheneman had told the court one thing and the public another, prosecutors filed a motion to withdraw his plea agreement, according to past reports. At the time, they believed no jury would find him credible as a witness against the second defendant. The judge denied the state’s motion and instead ordered Sheneman to return to The Tribune and admit his lie, which Sheneman did. Frese later formally approved the plea agreement. Frese today said he would consider amending the probation termination if the state could present any material fact regarding Sheneman’s behavior during probation that the judge should have considered. Staff writer Alicia Gallegos: agallegos@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6368