Men Get Up To 20 Years In Videotaped Sex Attack
GRAND HAVEN (AP) - Two young men were sentenced Monday to up to 20 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl while one man's father videotaped the attack.
An Ottawa County Circuit Court jury in Grand Haven convicted the men March 11 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for the June 28, 2010, attack.
On Monday, Judge Ed Post sentenced 19-year-old Jordan Paris to nine to 20 years in prison, and 20-year-old Sage Lewis to 10 to 20 years. Lewis got a longer minimum because of his juvenile criminal record.
Authorities say the three men assaulted the girl after she passed out in a hot-tub shed on land owned by Paris' father, 44-year-old Kelly Paris.
The father was sentenced in January and is serving 12 to 20 years for the sexual assault and for videotaping the assault.
Before the sentencing, the victim told the court she hoped neither man could ever victimize anyone else.
"What they thought was a night of fun was the worst night of my life," she said. "Today, I'm not as quick to trust people. And over the past year, I've had a rollercoaster of emotions."
"Not only was my last year of childhood stolen from me, but I also have to deal with these feelings for the rest of my life," she said.
Lewis and Paris didn't speak at the sentencing. Their lawyer said his clients were treated more harshly than they deserved, The Grand Rapids Press reported.
"I just think that anyone who sat through the trial recognizes it wasn't predatory conduct," Terry Nolan said.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
