Ohio man enters Alford plea in Pope County felony sex charge

GLENWOOD — A petition to enter a guilty plea has been filed in the case of the Ohio man who was charged with a felony sex crime after coming to Glenwood to find a student he met online.

Christian James Mackson, 30, was charged with engaging in electronic communication relating or describing sexual conduct with a child, a felony.

The petition was filed on Feb. 9 in Pope County District Court.

Under the terms of the petition, Mackson will plead guilty to the charge with a stay of adjudication via an Alford plea, and will serve 45 days in jail or via home electronic monitoring, court documents read.

A stay of adjudication means that the felony conviction will not be entered in Mackson's criminal record, provided he successfully completes probation.

An Alford plea is an alternative plea that does not involve admitting guilt. Rather, it allows the person making the plea to acknowledge that a jury would likely find them guilty if they entered a not guilty plea, and to submit to the consequences of a conviction without actually admitting guilt.

On April 29 last year, the Pope County Sheriff's Office received a report from Minnewaska Area Middle School of an unknown man at the school, a news release read.

Thanks to the quick actions of school staff, the Pope County Sheriff's Office and Glenwood Police Department were able to apprehend Mackson at a Pope County hotel, the news release read.

Mackson traveled from Dayton, Ohio, for the sole purpose of finding a student he had met online, according to the news release.

A former Long Prairie resident has been convicted of felony criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree.

Chris David Giles-Ambriz was sentenced for the charge on Jan. 31 in Douglas County District Court.

The terms of his sentence calls for Giles-Ambriz to be committed to the correctional facility in St. Cloud for 18 months. This sentence is stayed for 10 years.

Additionally, Giles-Ambriz is sentenced to 180 days in the Douglas County Jail, with 94 days credit for time served. He also will be placed on supervised probation for 10 years.

Giles-Ambriz must pay $125 in various fees, as well.

Four additional charges, including two of felony criminal sexual conduct in the third degree, one of felony criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree and one of felony electronic solicitation of a child, were dismissed.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred on Oct. 1, 2020, when Giles-Ambriz allegedly assaulted a 13-year-old.

According to the statement of probable cause, the assault ended when the victim pulled a knife on Giles-Ambriz and put it up to his face, after which time the victim was able to get away from him.

Giles-Ambriz was arrested after attempting to meet with the victim again, making arrangements to do so via Snapchat, the statement read.