What does that really mean? Does it mean she must serve 3 years, then she will be eligible for parole, or what? 3-15 seems like an incredibly wide range of years.
By the way, these are real people and while I have not seen the girl since 1995, it’s still somewhat sensitive. Let’s not turn this into a Pit about teachers who take advantage; we all know it’s terrible.
It typically means a minimum sentence of three years, with parole eligibility after that. (Note that eligibility doesn’t mean it will be granted the first time around.) If the person doesn’t manage to ever make parole, then they will be released unconditionally after serving the full 15 years. Otherwise, it’s supervised release, halfway houses, work-release programs, etc. depending on the jurisdiction and recommendations of the parole board or other body.
Sorry for hijacking, but why exactly does up to 2 years get added to her sentence for using a computer? Sending physical photographs to a minor is less criminal?
Honestly? Feel-good legislation going after the current Moral Panic. It really means nothing in this case, but was likely intended to go after the Lurking Horror of MySpace Predators. :rolleyes:
I can’t answer why the use of a computer affects the applicable laws, but if I read the article correctly, 2 years did not actually get added to the overall sentence because the article says the sentences are concurrent.
You kids don’t remember this but back in the nineties we were constantly hearing about how pedophiles would go “online” and use the “Internet highway” to corrupt children and infect them with “viruses”. It was a proven fact that 94% of the people using this innernet thing were child molesters. Nobody’s kids were safe from these fiends - even if you didn’t have a computer or a telephone they could still abduct your children in the middle of the night!
