OAKLAND — A Grass Valley man was freed from jail and given probation after pleading no contest to statutory rape of a teen he met online, court records show.
Dominic Niosi, 44, was charged last year with child molestation, child abuse, and with receiving lewd pictures from the victim. He was also charged with providing cocaine and methamphetamine to the teen.
But instead of any of those counts, Niosi pleaded to a single statutory rape charge, was sentenced to two years probation, a fine of $300 to $10,000, and time already served in jail, records show. The plea deal was finalized in December.
Prosecutors said at Niosi’s change of plea hearing that the victim was informed and “agreeable” to the plea deal.
When Niosi was arrested last year, police said that the two met in person last June 20, 2024, and that Niosi strangled the victim to the point of unconsciousness during their encounter. The teen later came forward to police, who were able to identify Niosi through electronic records, authorities said.
