A Tyrone man who was found guilty of sexually abusing his 13-year-old stepdaughter will spend weekends in jail, after being sentenced in Schuyler County Court before the Hon. Dennis J. Morris.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Matthew Hayden argued that the court should sentence Wheeler to the maximum sentence of seven years in state prison, with 10 years post-release supervision.
Wheeler had been found guilty in November of second-degree criminal sex act, and three separate counts of third-degree sex abuse after he engaged in oral sexual contact with the female victim.
The second-degree criminal sex act charge is a Class D violent felony.
The victim was identified throughout the proceedings as a mentally disabled teen.
During arguments at sentencing, Hayden said Wheeler betrayed a position of trust. Also, as result of the sexual assault – the victim had been separated from her mother. Hayden says it’s caused even more punishment to the family; and even went as far as to call Wheeler’s actions heinous and evil.
The Schuyler County Probation Department also recommended the maximum sentence.
However, he was only sentenced to weekends in jail.
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