A Milford man was sentenced to 30 years in prison Thursday for molesting a child over the course of six years.
Lars Eric Gustafson, 37, of 107 N. West St., Milford, appeared in front of Kosciusko Superior Court I Judge David Cates Thursday and was sentenced to 30 years in the Indiana Department of Corrections for a Level 1 child molesting conviction. Five of those years will be suspended to formal probation as part of the terms of a plea agreement that the executed time shall not exceed 25 years. Gustafson must also register as a sex offender and a violent sexual predator upon his release.
“I’m thankful for the courage of this little girl,” Kosciusko County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz said in court, adding that while he hopes the victim isn’t permanently harmed from this crime, he can’t be sure.
Gustafson’s attorney, John Barrett, said his client is “not here seeking any form of pity today.” Barrett also said he believes his client is remorseful “with every fiber of his being” and asked Cates to show compassion when imposing the sentence.
Victims and Gustafson declined to speak during the hearing.
Cates said Gustafson had no prior criminal history and that his victim was less than 12 years old. Referencing a sealed pre-sentence investigation report statement, Gustafson wrote, Cates said, “I don’t believe your statement for a second. I hope there can some compassion, for the victim.”
According to the probable cause affidavit, on Sept. 25 Milford Police were notified of a child molesting case and that the child victim was at the hospital. When police spoke with the mother of the victim, she said she had found a sex toy in the child’s room and asked her about it, and that is when the child said Gustafson had been performing sex acts, including intercourse, with her twice a week for the past six years.
When police spoke with Gustafson, he admitted he did that.
