By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A 54-year-old man who indecently assaulted a nine-year-old girl was yesterday sentenced to two years in prison.
Alden Scott was arrested after the child’s mother told police he touched the girl near her private parts on January 17.
The accused, who was previously sentenced to nine years in prison for a similar crime, admitted the offence during a hearing before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.
The court was told that on the day in question, Scott assaulted the girl while they were sitting on a bed. The prosecution said the accused had also told the minor she was a “tall and sexy young lady” a day before the incident. The complainant’s mother said she reported the matter because Scott’s actions made her daughter uncomfortable and afraid for her safety.
After she filed the complaint, Scott was arrested. When he was interviewed in custody, he claimed he only touched the girl because he was trying to help her get on to the bed. However, the court was told when officers visited the scene and examined the small bed where the assault took place, they concluded the accused would not have needed to help the little girl get on it. Scott was subsequently charged.
During the arraignment, Scott begged the magistrate for mercy. He said he had just been released from prison and would prefer “1,000 years of probation and community service” over a custodial sentence since he believed “going to jail again” would not help him.
However, Magistrate McKinney noted that Scott had committed the offence just four years after he was released from prison also for sexually assaulting a teenager. He told Scott that he had to consider the young age of the child he has indecently assaulted.
“If you don’t want to go to prison you should abide by the laws,” he said before sentencing Scott to two years behind bars.
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