Nebraska teen accused of sexual assault, multi-county pursuit pleads guilty

STANTON, Neb. (KTIV) - A 17-year-old could be in prison for over 50 years after pleading guilty to an incident back in April 2022.

According to the Stanton County Sheriff’s Office, Gabriel Safty of Leigh pled guilty to first-degree assault, first-degree false imprisonment and terroristic threats.

Authorities say the charges stem from an incident on April 21, 2022, where Safty sexually assaulted a woman before leading law enforcement on a pursuit. The sheriff’s office says just after midnight that day deputies responded to a reported break-in and sexual assault at a rural residence north of Leigh. It was eventually determined Safty, armed with a handgun, broke into the residence and sexually assaulted a woman living there.

After the assault, authorities say Safty stole the victim’s SUV and fled the area. Law enforcement eventually found the SUV and tried to pull it over, but it fled from them and a pursuit began. The pursuit went through Cuming and Stanton Counties and ended two miles west of West Point where law enforcement deployed a deflation device. One of the SUV’s tires was deflated and it eventually pulled onto the shoulder of the highway.

While the SUV was still in gear, Safty reportedly jumped out and ran into a nearby field. A perimeter was then set up by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Cuming and Stanton County Sheriff Offices. By 2:40 a.m. Safty was taken into custody after being found at a nearby farm residence.

Safty pled guilty on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, and is set to be sentenced in March. He has been in custody since his arrest and will remain there until his sentencing date.

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