Man drops 'faulty zipper' defense, pleads guilty to attacking girl

JACKSONVILLE -- After claiming for weeks that a faulty zipper led to improper contact with a 3-year-old girl, a man has pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct charges.

Travis J. McNeece of Jacksonville pleaded guilty Tuesday to aggravated criminal sexual abuse. In exchange for his guilty plea, Morgan County State's Attorney Chris Reif dismissed a charge of predatory criminal sexual assault.

McNeece was accused of fondling and sexually molesting the girl on February 2nd, while he was visiting the child, who lives with her paternal grandmother in Jacksonville.

Police say the day after the visit, the girl told her grandmother she had sex with McNeece.

McNeece reportedly told police he noticed the girl was not wearing underwear, so he took the child's shorts off to put underwear on her. McNeece claimed his private parts became exposed because of a malfunctioning zipper on his pants.