After pleading guilty to multiple counts of sexual battery and lewd and lascivious battery upon allegations that he molested several children over the course of the past 30 years, a former Broward County priest was sentenced to 15 years in state prison.
At 69 years-old, a 15-year prison sentence is essentially a life term.
The State Attorney's Office had reduced several of the charges, reducing the accused's guideline score under the Florida Criminal Punishment Code's Sentencing Guidelines. The judge imposed a sentence that was within that guideline range.
Pleading guilty to a sex crime can result in the accused become a sexual offender or sexual predator. Also, under Florida's Jimmy Ryce Act, a person who has been convicted of sexually-violent or sexually-motivated offense can be subjected to prolonged detention, even after their prison sentence has expired.