Teen reads poem before abuser sentenced to prison

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a convicted child molester to 18 ½ years in prison after listening to a 13-year-old girl read a poem about the abuse she suffered.

Robert Pentland III was convicted of sexually assaulting the girl while he was a child-care provider and she was between 4 and 8 years old. She testified she went to police when she became old enough to realize his fondling had been inappropriate.

The New Haven Register reports her poem described her abuser's "eerie grin" and her growth into someone who is "no longer meek."

Pentland, who had previously been convicted of misconduct involving a 10 year-old, told the judge he was an innocent victim of "hysteria" over the state's sex offender registry.

Judge Roland Fasano called Pentland's behavior remorseless.

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Information from: New Haven Register