NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. (WSVN) — A 20-year-old New York man who pleaded guilty to the rape and sexual assault of four girls will avoid jail time.
According to WKBW, Christopher Belter was sentenced to eight years probation, Tuesday, after he previously pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree sex abuse, third-degree attempted abuse and third-degree rape. Belter will also have to register as a sex offender.
The sentence was handed down by Niagara County Judge Matthew Murphy, who said he believed jail time for Belter would be inappropriate.
“I agonized — I’m not ashamed to say that I actually prayed over what is the appropriate sentence in this case. Because there was great pain. There was great harm — There were multiple crimes committed in the case,” Murphy explained. “It seems to me that a sentence that involves incarceration or partial incarceration isn’t appropriate, so I am going to sentence you to probation.”
According to the New York Times, the crimes took place between 2017 and 2018 at Belter’s home and involved several girls who were 15 and 16 years old. Belter was charged in 2018 when he was 17 years old and pleaded guilty to the crimes the following year. He was sentenced to two years interim probation and would have been granted youthful offender status had he successfully completed his probation.
However, he was denied youthful offender status for violating his probation by bypassing monitoring software on his computer to view pornography.
“I am deeply, deeply disappointed. I expected a different outcome today,” Steve Cohen, an attorney for one of the victims, told WKBW. “Justice was not done today.”
“He is privileged. He comes from money. He is white. He was sentenced as an adult, appropriately — for an adult to get away with these crimes is unjust,” Cohen added.
Cohen’s client also started crying when the sentence was read.
“I believe she’s in the bathroom throwing up, right now, excuse me,” Cohen told WKBW.
During the sentencing, Belter offered an apology.
“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.”
“I know though, that a scar will remain that will serve as a reminder of the evil of that night,” Belter added.
WKBW reports that Belter returns to court on Dec. 2 for a Sex Offender Registration Act hearing where it will be decided whether he is a level one, two or three sex offender.
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