(ABC 6 News) – A Rochester man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old was sentenced to 150 months, or 12.5 years, at the MN Correctional Facility in St. Cloud Wednesday, April 10.

Rafael Earl Steele, 38, was sentenced to an additional 10 years of conditional release, or probation, after prison.

Two domestic violence charges from mid-2023 were dismissed by Olmsted County in late March.

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(ABC 6 News) – A Rochester man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old pleaded guilty Wednesday.

The 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct trial for Rafael Earl Steele, 38, began with jury selection Tuesday, Jan. 2.

On Jan. 3, Steele entered a plea deal.

The plea agreement states that Steele may remain out of custody ahead of sentencing, and his defense is free to argue for a comparatively light sentence.

Steele’s sentencing is scheduled for March 1, 2024.

In the interim, he was ordered to avoid contact with the victim and other people under age 18, and to undergo GPS monitoring.

Steele’s victim gave birth at age 15, and a paternity test conducted by law enforcement confirmed a 99.9 percent change that Steele was the infant’s father, according to documents filed in January of 2023.

Steele was separately charges with domestic violence — inflict bodily harm and disorderly conduct in August of this year.

His pretrial hearing on the later charges is scheduled for March 29, 2024.

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(ABC 6 News) – UPDATE: A Rochester man accused of impregnating a 14-year-old pleaded not guilty to one charge of 1st-degree criminal sexual conduction Thursday, March 23.

Rafeal Earl Steele, 36, is scheduled to stand trial in Olmsted County Court June 19, with a pretrial hearing scheduled June 8.

(ABC 6 News) – A Rochester man was charged with 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct Wednesday, Jan. 11, after allegedly impregnating a 14-year-old girl who gave birth at age 15.

Rafeal Earl Steele, 36, denied sexual contact with the teenager. However, according to court documents, a paternity test conducted by law enforcement reported a 99.9 percent chance that Steele was the infant’s father.

Steele’s next court date is scheduled for Feb. 28, 2022.