A Napleton Automotive Group executive accused of sexual assault by a co-worker in 2018 was sentenced Wednesday in Florida to five years of probation on a charge of third-degree felony battery.
Edward Napleton Jr., director of operations for Napleton Automotive Group and son of company President Ed Napleton, will not face prison time nor will he be required to register as a sex offender in Florida under a type of guilty plea identified in court documents as a "best interest" plea. Under a best interest plea, a defendant does not admit guilt but does acknowledge that a guilty plea is in his or her best interest.
Napleton Jr. stipulated to one count of sexual penetration, according to his plea sheet. Palm Beach County Circuit Court Judge Scott Suskauer withheld adjudication in the case, which means Napleton Jr. isn't formally convicted of the charge.
A Florida statute gives judges special authority to sometimes "withhold adjudication" in probation sentences, meaning a court won't impose on the defendant a conviction and the "collateral consequences" that accompany conviction. A spokesperson with the Florida State Attorney's Office confirmed to Automotive News that, in Florida, "a withhold of adjudication means that a defendant is not a convicted felon."
Napleton's sentence includes 200 hours of community service and one day of jail time, which he already has served, a court spokeswoman said.
Napleton Jr.'s probation could be terminated after two years if he abides by the court's rules, according to his plea sheet. As long as he gives prior notice, he also has the court's permission to travel out of state for work purposes related to his job with Napleton Automotive Group.
According to a case memo provided to Automotive News by the Florida State Attorney's Office, the woman who had accused Napleton and her legal counsel were consulted about the plea deal "and expressed their full approval of this resolution."
"On October 13, 2021, the State Attorney's Office received written confirmation from the victim, who wrote in part, 'I agree with and approve the terms of the plea offer,' " the memo said.
According to the memo, the woman agreed to the negotiated plea because going to court would have been invasive and possibly re-traumatizing and because the details of the incident may have been difficult to prove at trial.
A lawyer representing Napleton Jr. did not respond to multiple requests for comment. A lawyer for Napleton Automotive Group also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
