Polonia Convicted in Sex Case; Sentencing Delayed

New York Yankees outfielder Luis Polonia was convicted today on a misdemeanor charge of sexual intercourse with a child, but the judge delayed sentencing until after the baseball season.

Polonia, 24, pleaded no contest to the charge that he had sex with a 15-year-old girl at a downtown hotel last Wednesday and Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Thomas Doherty found him guilty.

Faces Possible Jail Term

The charge carries a maximum penalty of nine months in jail and $10,000 in fines. Under Wisconsin law, an adult may not have intercourse with a child under the age of 16 even if the child consents.

Assistant Dist. Atty. John DiMotto recommended that Polonia be sentenced immediately, citing the trauma the case has had on the girl’s family.

DiMotto read a statement from the victim’s family in which it was recommended that Polonia be sentenced immediately to 30 days in the Milwaukee County House of Correction and pay a fine of $5,000. The family’s statement said Polonia should be sentenced to 90 days in jail and fined $10,000 if the term was delayed until after the baseball season.

Doherty, however, said he was not familiar enough with the case to issue a sentence today and ordered a presentence report. He set sentencing for Oct. 2. The baseball season ends Oct. 1.

Doherty also continued Polonia’s bail at $5,000.

Polonia, who appeared in court in a black sport jacket and tan pants, made no comments during the hearing except to answer the judge’s questions. He told the judge he understood the meaning of the no contest plea.

Polonia, who had been in Milwaukee for a series between the Yankees and Brewers, was arrested last Wednesday at the Pfister Hotel by police investigating a report of a missing 15-year-old girl.

He spent several hours in the City Jail before being released on $5,000 bail. Although the Yankees left Wednesday, Polonia remained in Milwaukee to discuss the case. He rejoined the team Thursday in Detroit.

The criminal complaint said the girl told authorities she and Polonia had intercourse twice, once before the girl’s mother called the hotel and talked to the player and once after the phone call. The complaint said the girl told authorities that after Polonia answered the phone call he asked her “if she was a minor and she indicated she was and she believes she may have told him that she was 16 years old.”

The complaint said Polonia told authorities he had been told before he took the girl to the hotel that she was 19.