A 71-year-old Auburn man will spend two years in prison for repeated sexual contact with a young girl.
Between May 2013 and July 2017 John Stevens, of 83 Fitch Ave., engaged in two or more sexual act with a child. The girl was between the ages of 6 and 11. Stevens pleaded guilty to second-degree course of sexual conduct with a child, a class D felony, in January.
At the time of Stevens’ plea, Judge Thomas Leone said he was uncomfortable with the plea-deal offer. In Cayuga County Court Thursday, Leone went ahead and imposed the agreed-upon sentence of two years in prison and 10 years post-release supervision because it was acceptable to the victim’s family. Stevens will also have to register as a sex offender, pay a $50 registration fee, and a $1,000 supplemental victim fee.
Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said these cases are difficult as requiring children to testify in trial can cause substantial problems. He said he was OK with the sentence since it wouldn’t require the girl to testify.
An order of protection was also put in place for the victim and witnesses. When the victim’s mother received the order of protection from the court, Leone said “I’m sorry your family had to go through all this.”
“I am a Christian man,” Stevens said before being sentenced. “I’m just real sorry. … I’m sorry also to the family for putting them through this,” he added, “It’s never going to happen again.”
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