Kristopher Drzka of Mountain Home entered a no contest plea to charges related to his having inappropriate sexual contact with a then 14-year-old girl at a local park during the summer months of 2015 and was given ten years probation during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.
The victim approached law enforcement officers with her allegation early this year. She said she had been at the park with a friend and the then 19-year-old Drzka, who she did not know. She said around dusk, the mutual friend left the area and she agreed to remain with Drzka until someone came to pick him up. She told investigators Drzka pinned her against a gazebo and made inappropriate sexual contact with her. The victim said she bit Drzka several times in the struggle and that he finally let her go and she ran home.
According to court records, Drzka told investigators he had been at the park with his cousin and that after the relative left, he began “coming on” to the victim which led to the inappropriate touching.
Drzka told investigators the victim had bitten him three times — twice on the chest and once on the neck. He said the bite to the neck “hurt enough” to cause Drzka to let the victim go.
14th Judicial District Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Kerry Chism told the court the sentence Drzka was to receive had been discussed with the victim’s parents and that they were in agreement. Chism said that while a psychological evaluation of Drzka had found him fit to proceed in the case, Chism said it did show Drzka functioned at a mental level lower than was age appropriate.
The court directed Drzka to not have any contact with the victim or with the victim’s family. He will be required to register as a sex offender.
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