A man who pleaded guilty to rape and sexual abuse charges against four teenage girls in upstate New York was sentenced Tuesday to probation instead of prison after the judge claimed prison time was inappropriate.
Christopher Belter, 20, pleaded guilty to one count of rape, two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, and one count of attempted first-degree sexual abuse during a six-month period between 2017 and 2018 in Niagara County. At the time, he and his victims were minors.
“I agonized. I’m not ashamed that to say that I actually prayed over what is the appropriate sentence in this case because there was great pain. There was great harm. There were multiple crimes committed in the case,” Judge Matthew Murphy said, according to the local CNN affiliate WKBW. “It seems to me that a sentence that involves incarceration or partial incarceration isn’t appropriate, so I am going to sentence you to probation.”
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Belter received two years of interim probation in 2019, including limits on his internet use and access to pornography. If he had followed the rules of his probation, he could have been sentenced as a “youth offender” given his age. However, he was tried as an adult because he broke the terms of probation, according to court documents obtained by CNN. Belter also had to register as a sex offender.
One of Belter’s victims, identified as “M.M.,” said she was 16 at the time of the assault, which happened at Belter’s house when she stayed as a guest of his sister’s.
“I remember kicking and screaming, looking at that plant, trying to focus on it being over, and he kept saying, ’Stop being such a baby, if you stop resisting, it won’t hurt as bad.’ I remember every second, and ever since it happened, it constantly replays in my head,” she said during the trial, according to WKBW.
Before he received his sentence, Belter apologized and read a statement to his victims.
“Through treatment and reflection, I’ve come to feel deep shame and regret for my actions. None of you deserved to be in this situation,” he said. “I hope each of you could close that wound I gashed. I know, though, that a scar will remain that will serve as a reminder of the evil of that night.”
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Belter’s mother, Tricia Vacanti, was arrested and charged with providing alcohol and marijuana to minors. Her husband, Gary Sullo, and family friend Jessica Long have been charged with providing alcohol. They have all pleaded “not guilty” and are waiting for their own trials.
