PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The man accused of assaulting a Walmart employee in South Philly has been sentenced as a part of a deal with prosecutors — to two years of probation and no jail time.
The survivor spoke about her harrowing ordeal the night of Jan. 8 as she worked her shift at Walmart — which she says turned into a nightmare, leading to PTSD and severe anxiety.
Corey Elickson was charged with indecent assault, indecent exposure, open lewdness and harassment after turning himself in three weeks after authorities publicized that he was wanted for assaulting an employee — encountering the woman, and then masturbating on her.
She tearfully spoke of the trauma, how she can’t go back to work and now lives in severe financial strain since the attack. She asked for the maximum punishment in her statement to the court.
Judge Karen Simmons said everyone should be able to walk down the street and feel safe and seemed to struggle with accepting the two year probation plea deal agreed by both prosecutors and defense. In the end, she did accept it, and tacked on additional drug treatment and mental health counseling, acknowledging childhood trauma Elickson endured. Elickson must also register as a sex offender for 15 years.
A spokesman for the District Attorney’s Office said, “Based on the facts and circumstances of this case, including state sentencing guidelines that do not allow for incarceration and the defendant’s history, this sentencing was appropriate — including the fact that he must register as a sex offender for 15 years.”