Van driver pleads guilty to groping developmentally disabled passenger

A 67 year old van driver plead guilty to 4th degree criminal sexual conduct for groping a disabled woman with an IQ of 49 on February 23, 2009. Minnesota City, MN resident David Michael Taylor plead guilty to the 4th degree count Wednesday, June 23.

At the time of the incident, Taylor was a driver for Winona ORC Industries, a company that provides job opportunities to disabled area residents. ORC officials fired Taylor after an internal investigation. He admitted Wednesday that he kissed the woman and groped her breast. The woman told police she twice asked Taylor to stop.

Taylor admitted that he had sexual contact with the woman, but claimed that it was consensual, and admitted to police he “knew that (the victim) wasn’t all quite there.” His counsel, J.P. Plachecki, said the victim considered Taylor to be her "boyfriend." Taylor called the conduct with the victim "a little tryst" at his plea hearing.

Judge Mary Leahy will sentence Taylor later this summer, but before September 15. He'll be required to register with the state of Minnesota as a predatory offender.