A man was sentenced to 47 years to life in prison for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl who went missing from a state park in upstate New York last year. The man pleaded guilty in February to taking the girl in September from a campground at Moreau Lake State Park, sparking a 48-hour search that ended when she was found alive at a camper he was staying in.
The girl, who was not present in court, expressed the impact of the incident in a statement read by the Assistant District Attorney. The judge issued a protective order to prevent any contact between the man and the girl.
During the sentencing, the man showed little emotion and declined to speak. Family members of the girl addressed him directly in court, questioning his actions and character.
The girl had disappeared while riding her bike at the campground near her home, leading to a large search effort. Law enforcement discovered the man's involvement through a ransom note left at the girl's home, leading to his arrest and the girl's rescue from a cabinet in the camper.
The District Attorney expressed satisfaction with the sentence, noting the man's admission of guilt spared the family from further trauma. The man was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years to life for kidnapping and 22 years to life for predatory sexual assault of a child, to be served consecutively.
