A 20-year-old St Joseph man has been sentenced to 100 days shock time for Child Molestation, a class-B felony. Austin Orr was found guilty in June by a jury that recommended a much harsher sentence, five years in the Department of Corrections.
During the interim the court received dozens of letters from friends and letters vouching for Mr Orr’s character.
This week, Circuit Judge Patrick Robb imposed a five year sentence, but suspended that sentence and placed Orr on probation for five years. Judge Robb ordered Mr Orr to serve 100 days in the Buchanan County jail.
Testimony at trial showed that Mr Orr showed a five-year-old relative what was described as “the undies game.” The victim said he and the defendant then touched each other’s genitals.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kate Schaefer recommended the same five-year prison sentence suggested by the jury. Under Missouri Statutes, the sentence for a class-B felony can range from five to 15 years in prison. Schaefer and her boss, Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Scroggins opposed the more lenient sentence imposed by the judge.
“Child molestors need to go to prison,” Scroggins said in an interview. “That’s been our position from the very beginning.”