A New York man convicted of raping multiple teenage girls while he was in high school will not spend any time behind bars after a judge determined that “incarceration isn’t appropriate.”
According to TheBlaze, Christopher Belter, formerly of Lewiston, New York, pled guilty in 2019 to raping one young girl and sexually abusing three others during parties at his parents’ wealthy home just outside Niagara Falls. Belter, now 20, was between 16 and 17 years old when he committed the crimes.
His victims were between the ages of 15 and 16 years old. The maximum punishment for his actions would have been eight years in a state prison. But on Tuesday, he was sentenced to eight years of probation instead, and ordered to register as a sex offender.
WKBW stated: “Through treatment and reflection, I’ve come to feel deep shame and regret for my actions none of you deserved to be in this situation,” stated Belter. “I hope each of you could close that wound I gashed.” Belter addressed the court before his sentencing for the rape and sexual assault of four teenage girls.
“I know though, that a scare will remain that will serve as a reminder of the evil of that night,” Belter reading from his notes. Some of his victims were in the courtroom for his sentencing, learning he won’t serve any time behind bars. Judge Murphy decided prison time would be “inappropriate”.
