An Anderson Man pleaded guilty Thursday to four counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor.
With the pretrial plea, Charles Randy Horne Jr. was sentenced to 23 years in prison, avoiding a potential prison sentence of 120 years.
“My 2-year-old daughter needs me,” said Horne, 30, of East Orr Street in Anderson at the hearing in Anderson County General Sessions Court. “I will do the 23 years, but I would prefer if it were a little less. I would like to see my daughter graduate from high school.”
Horne has been in custody in the Anderson County Detention Center since March 14, 2008 when Anderson County Sheriff's deputies filed criminal charges against him.
Judge J.C. “Buddy” Nicholson Jr. accepted the negotiated sentence of 23 years on each count, telling Horne that the four sentences would run at the same time with credit given for 377 days already served.
Horne must serve 85 percent of the 23-year sentence, Nicholson said.
A prosecutor told Nicholson that the rapes involve two girls, ages 6 and 9 at the time, who were molested in the woods and in a bedroom.
According to warrants, the girls were molested between 1998 and 2000.
One of the victims did not attend the hearing Thursday, and the other broke into tears as she disagreed with the sentence.
“I don't think he should get out and hurt any other girl,” the victim said on Thursday.
The girl’s grandmother, who has had custody of the girl since she was 9 and learned of the molestation when the girl was 15, testified that the girl suffers from a sleep disorder.
“She has night terrors and sleeps with a knife under her bed,” the grandmother said.
Horne apologized.
“If I could take it back I would,” said Horne in a proceeding witnessed by his parents, wife and other supporters. “I have changed. I know the Lord. All sex offenders are not repeaters.”
His parents, Charles Randy Horne, 55, and Debra Stokes Horne, 53, of Six and Twenty Road in Anderson, are awaiting trial after their arrests in May 2008 for the unlawful neglect of a child. Warrants indicate both parents knew about their son’s sex-offender status and allowed him to be unsupervised with the two children.
Prior to the sentencing Thursday, court testimony indicated that Horne Jr. had been a special education student, dropped out of school in the ninth grade, reads at a second-grade level and has worked multiple jobs as a cook at fast-food restaurants. Testimony also indicated he met his wife during rehabilitation for alcohol abuse and is mourning a child who died during childbirth in February.
Attorney Chase Harbin testified that Horne Jr. understood the charges facing him and had been determined to be competent for trial, which was scheduled in early April.
Horne Jr. served 18 months in prison in 1996 and was on probation for five years for committing a lewd act with a minor, resulting in his listing on the state’s sex offender registry, according to court testimony.
"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"
.........Sarah Tofte
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