PHOENIX — Maricopa County prosecutors have offered a plea deal to accused serial rapist James Estep, according to court records.
Estep recently filed court paperwork asking to "remove his current legal counsel." The judge approved the request, pushing the trial date until February.
Court filings also show "a plea offer has been extended." Right now, it's unclear what prosecutors are offering in that plea deal.
Estep was indicted in August 2023 on 30 felony counts, including 20 counts of sexual assault. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said attacks on multiple alleged victims happened from 2018 to August 2023 in Phoenix, Mesa, and Tempe. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
ABC15 has previously reported that Mesa police arrested Estep twice in 2023, but Maricopa County prosecutors declined to move forward with sexual assault charges, which allowed for his release from custody.
A month after he was released, Tempe police arrested Estep in August of 2023 following an hours-long standoff at his Mesa home. Police say he violently sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl after offering her a ride at a light rail station.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell has defended her office’s decision that allowed Estep to be released. She said prosecutors didn’t have enough evidence to move forward with charges after Estep’s two previous arrests.
Estep is due back in court on December 2.
