NORWICH – It took the jury a total of three hours to deliberate before they found Kyle J. Hackett not guilty of rape in the first degree in the Chenango County Courthouse on Thursday, June 23. The jury found the defendant guilty of the lesser charge of rape in the third degree, a class E felony; sexual abuse in the first degree, a class D felony; and endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor.

Hackett faces a maximum of up to 11 years in prison.

The victim in the case was somewhat relieved following the verdict. “I said the minimum that I'd be ok with was 10 years. That gives me time so I can go away and figure out what I'm doing in life,” she said. “As soon as they said he's going to be remanded, I just felt like everything was lifted off my shoulders. I don't have to be scared. He came to my place of work twice when I had a restraining order against him, so he wont be able to follow me or come to anywhere that I am. I think it's going to be easier than it was before. Before I tried to push it away and pretend like it didn't happen. Now I feel like, I'm not going to be buried. Everyone knows what happened. However they chose to take that is up to them.”