House
Republican Press Release
July 31,
2007
Press
Office: 860-240-8700
New Law Provides
Mandatory Sentences for Sex Offenders who Target Children
Sex offenders who prey on
children received a blunt warning from Governor M. Jodi Rell today: assault a
child under 13 and you will spend a long time in jail, said state
Representative Selim Noujaim, who cosponsored the new law.
“This new law puts sex offenders
who target children on notice that the people of Connecticut will do everything
we can to protect our children. It means offenders who sexually assault
children are locked up for long periods of time to prevent them from repeating
their crimes. Just as importantly, the stiff mandatory sentences this law
provides will be a powerful deterrent that will lower the incidence of sex
crimes against children in Connecticut,” said Representative Noujaim,
R-Waterbury. “Governor Rell deserves a lot of credit for her efforts to
publicize this new law to ensure that potential offenders understand that sex
offenses committed against children will get zero tolerance in our state.”
The measure establishes the
crime of aggravated sexual assault, which targets individuals who commit
certain crimes against a child under age 13 and:
- kidnap, illegally restrain, stalk, disfigure, cause
serious injury to, or use violence against the victim;
- commit the same offense against more than one victim under
age 13;
- do not know the victim or have
been previously convicted of a violent sexual assault.
Under the legislation,
aggravated sexual assault of a minor is a Class A felony, punishable by 25 to
50 years in prison, a fine of up to $20,000, or both. For first offenders, the
mandatory minimum prison term is 25 years. For subsequent offenders, it is 50
years, Representative Noujaim said.
In addition, the law targets the
increasing number of child sex crimes committed online by establishing
mandatory minimum prison terms for adults who use the Internet to attempt to
entice a child age 13 or under into sexual contact (five years for a first
offense, 10 years for a second), Representative Noujaim said
The law also provides mandatory
minimum sentences for other offenses involving minors, including: having sexual
or indecent contact with a child under age 13 (mandatory minimum term of 5
years); employing a minor in an obscene performance (mandatory minimum term of
10 years); importing child pornography (mandatory minimum term of 5 years); or
possessing child pornography (mandatory minimum terms of 1 to 5 years),
Representative Noujaim said.
The law took effect July 1st.
