AUBURN - An Auburn man is going to trial after professing his innocence to three felony counts of first-degree sexual abuse and one misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child in Cayuga County Court Thursday.

Wayne Bresee, 51, of 420 Melone Village, and currently held at the Cayuga County Jail, opted for a bench trial slated for Nov. 19 after telling the court that he was not guilty of the charges against him.

Bresee is accused of sexually abusing a girl younger than 6 between December 2006 and February 2007.

After being declared competent to stand trial, Bresee had to decide if he was going to accept a plea offer made by Chief Assistant District Attorney Jon Budelman and Assistant District Attorney Samuel Finnessey Jr. for a three-year sentence in state prison. He would also be required to admit the details of the alleged crimes to accept the offer that expired on Thursday.

“If my wife was here I would take the offer,” Bresee told the court.

After a recess, Bresee then declared his innocence.

“I didn't do nothing,” he said.

“You are not ready to say what happened,” Judge Thomas Leone asked Bresee.

“I'm 50-50 on that right now,” Bresee replied.

To aid in Bresee's decision, Finnessey read aloud the evidence that would be presented at trial.

Leone again asked Bresee if he intended to take the plea offer.

“Not at this time,” he said. “I'm not guilty of those things.”

Also in court

Angelo Amodei, 41, of Poplar Ridge, and currently held at the county jail, pleaded guilty to the felony of driving while intoxicated and the misdemeanor of second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation in exchange for a promised sentence of 1 1/3 to four years in state prison for the DWI and six months in jail for aggravated unlicensed operation, running concurrently.

Amodei admitted to driving with a .14 blood alcohol count around 1:33 a.m. on April 29 on East Brutus Street, Weedsport, and ignoring a Weedsport village police officer's red flashing lights and siren.

Defense attorney Todd Smith and prosecutor Budelmann had argued motions earlier in the day. A plea agreement was made following a conference in chambers.

Leone also reduced Amodei's aggregate bail - Amodei has a similar, but older case pending in Auburn City Court - from $15,000 to $10,000 cash. Smith had said that Amodei was looking to have an MRI performed on his back and see an optician to get new glasses.

Staff writer Alyssa Sunkin can be reached at alyssa.sunkin@lee.net or 253-5311 ext. 239