Before he was sentenced to 15 years in state prison Wednesday, two-time convicted sex offender Richard E. Aikey Jr. had plenty to say.
With tears streaming down his face and a in cracking voice, Aikey, 33, of Hopewell, lamented the loss of his freedom. He fell short of admitting his guilt and said nothing about the girl he was convicted of molesting after he was released from prison for sexually abusing three boys.
“When I was released in 2001, I did everything I could to live as a productive member of society,” said Aikey, standing before Ontario County Judge Frederick Reed clad in brown prison garb and shackles. “I did counseling, I never had a problem with my parole officer, I met a wonderful woman who always stood by me regardless of my past.”
Reed saved his remorse, however, for Aikey’s latest victim, a 12-year-old, and imposed the maximum sentence: 15 years in prison and then 20 years of post-release supervision.
After a three-day trial last month in county court, a jury found Aikey guilty of endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree course of sexual conduct against a child. The latter charge accused him of sexually abusing the girl more than twice over a three-month period.
Before handing down the sentence, Reed told Aikey that his crimes “had a huge impact on the victims and the community.”
“You are the sort of person who puts fear into the hearts of the 100,000 people of Ontario County, because you are a child predator,” he said sternly.
Aikey, already a Level 3 sex offender, was convicted of repeatedly sexually abusing the girl between January 2005 and February 2008. The girl and her 9-year-old sister took the stand as prosecution witnesses against Aikey, the younger girl saying she saw the abuse.
Aikey was sentenced as a “second child-sexual-assault felony offender” because of his prior conviction for first-degree sexual abuse. In that case, he was found guilty of molesting three boys, ages 7, 10 and 11, whom he was baby-sitting.
Assistant District Attorney James Ritts argued for the maximum sentence, saying that Aikey needed to be locked up to keep other children safe.
“We can put his face on a poster, we can put it on a billboard, but it won’t stop him from sexually abusing children,” Ritts said.
Defense attorney James Miller said that, aside from the arrests in 1995 and 2008, Aikey stayed out of trouble and even managed to hold down a well-paying job.
“This is someone who can be rehabilitated. He should be out earning his own keep,” Miller said.
He also told the judge Aikey himself was sexually abused as a child, an assertion that did not come up at trial. Miller said that he will appeal the conviction.
None of the victim’s family members attended the sentencing, but Aikey’s mother, Ruth, and two of his neighbors did. They declined comment.
"25% of all sex offenders re-offend within 15 years"
.........Sarah Tofte
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