Brendan Hardy, convicted of two sexual assault of a child cases, was sentenced to probation by a Jefferson County jury on May 14. A third felony allegation of indecency with a child was dismissed by the same jury. All three charges were indicted in 2022 and heard before a sworn jury in Judge John Stevens Criminal District Court in the days prior to the jury sentencing.
In the initial findings, the jury assessed eight years of imprisonment for each of the two guilty verdicts. Finding that Hardy had never been convicted of a prior felony, the jury determined that Hardy was eligible, and should be granted, probation relief for the prison sentence. In lieu of imprisonment, Hardy was ordered to serve 10 years of probation for each case, to run concurrently.
Trial prosecutor Jimmy Hamm said he would like the court to assess “upfront time,” and Hardy to be banned from contact with any child under the age of 18.
Defense attorney Ryan Gertz said, “We will be filing a notice of appeal, as well,”
Stevens set an order to perform a Post-Sentence Investigation report and will hear arguments for additional requirements of probation, aside from regular terms of probation. Hardy was, in the meantime, ordered to not commit any other criminal offense, stay in Jefferson County, have no contact with the victim in this case, and “register as a sex offender as soon as possible.