Rape charges dropped in plea deal with Jackson Township man
WAYNESBURG – More than a dozen rape charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement with a Jackson Township man accused by state police of kidnapping his ex-girlfriend and raping her multiple times over the course of four days in January.
Ian J. Nakonechni, 28, of 383 Falling Timber Road, was sentenced Wednesday by Greene County Judge Lou Dayich to 4 to 8 years in state prison, with credit for about three months served, after accepting a plea agreement. The plea deal meant an aggravated assault charge was amended to attempted aggravated assault, while the 15 counts of rape, along with one count of involuntary deviant sexual intercourse and one count of indecent assault were dropped. Nakonechni also pleaded guilty to terroristic threats, unlawful restraint, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.
Greene County First Assistant District Attorney Brianna Vanata said she consulted with the victim, who agreed to the plea deal in order to get the conviction on the attempted aggravated assault that carries the 4-to-8 year sentence.
“I believe that based on the evidence and in consideration with the wishes of the victim, and the recommendations I made, it led to him plead to the most serious charges,” Vanata said. “If he was willing to plead guilty to everything else, with the violence to her, we were all OK with that.”
Vanata said the victim and Nakonechni had an “on and off” relationship. Vanata added it would have been an “ordeal” for the woman to testify and the jury would have had to judge her word against Nakonechni’s before reaching a verdict.
“(The plea) produced the best outcome for her and the commonwealth,” Vanata said.
Nakonechni’s defense attorney, Keith Campbell, echoed that sentiment and said the plea deal was the “best outcome for all involved.”
State police said the 30-year-old woman and Nakonechni had just broken up, so she rode with him and his mother, Brenda, from Waynesburg back to their Falling Timber Road home to retrieve her belongings Dec. 31. When they arrived at the property, Nakonechni and the woman went into a white camper next to his parent’s house where Nakonechni was living, according to court documents.
Nakonechni then locked the door and began hitting her, first with his hands and then with an electrical cord, black belt and knife sharpener, before kicking her in the head, police said. He then demanded she remove her clothes and perform sex acts on him and she “complied out of fear,” police said. Nakonechni then raped her, police said.
The woman told police Nakonechni continued to beat her and raped her nearly 20 times over the next few days, according to court documents. He locked the door and threatened to stab her if she tried to leave, police said.
The woman was able to escape four days later with the help of some of Nakonechni’s family members.
Nakonechni was also sentenced to a concurrent 1 to 7 years for an April 2015 case, involving a different female victim. He pleaded guilty to unlawful restraint, simple assault and harassment. An aggravated assault charge was dismissed as part of the plea agreement for that case.
Greene County Bureau Chief Mike Jones contributed to this story.