John Malcolm Groff - Repeat Sex Offender - Receives 45 year sentence

Alaska State Troopers arrested John Malcolm Groff in July of 2008 and charged him with two dozen counts of sexual abuse of a minor in the first degree.

He later admitted he abused three girls: two 12-year-olds and a 7-year-old.

"He offended against these children in a remote cabin. There was nowhere for them to run, there was nowhere for them to hide," Judge Vanessa White said at sentencing.

One of the girls told her mother, who then reported the case to troopers.

Groff is a repeat sex offender. One of the victims from his first offense testified against him.

"A lot of the people who do what he does (do) not admit, they deny it and they make the kids go through trials and everything else, which is what I went through years ago," the victim said.

He received 45 years behind bars Thursday.

Palmer Superior Court Judge Vanessa White handed down the sentence to 67-year-old John Malcolm Groff Sr.

Groff told the court he regrets what he did.

"Had I had the opportunity to walk out of this court, I doubt seriously that I'd ever do this again in my life," he said. "It has done more damage than even here in the court can possibly consider."

White wasn't buying it.

"His statement to me today that if he walked out of here he seriously doubts that he would do this again is either dishonest or a reflection of an absolute lack of insight into the nature of the offense and what causes him to do it," she said.

Groff's prior history came into play at the sentencing -- this is his second conviction of sexual abuse of a minor. According to court records, he was charged in 1999 with failing to register as a sex offender.

"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"

.........Sarah Tofte