Two young victims - Boy and Girl - younger than 7 - Richard Sobol - Worcester MA

WORCESTER —
Calling his crimes “despicable,” a judge sentenced a Florida man to 8
to 9 years in prison yesterday for repeatedly sexually assaulting two
children, a boy and a girl, over a period of about two years.


Richard Sobol, 42, of Deland, Fla., was found guilty of eight
counts of child rape, four counts of indecent assault and battery on a
child, two counts of disseminating matter harmful to minors and a
morals offense after a jury trial last month in Worcester Superior
Court.


The crimes occurred on various dates from Jan. 1, 2003, to
Dec. 31, 2004, in Holden, according to the indictments against Mr.
Sobol, who was sentenced yesterday morning by Judge Mitchell H. Kaplan.


Assistant District Attorney Anthony J. Marotta recommended
that Mr. Sobol be sentenced to state prison for 18 to 20 years, with 10
years of probation to follow.


While acknowledging that his recommendation exceeded advisory
sentencing guidelines, the prosecutor said aggravating factors in the
case warranted such a sentence.


Mr. Marotta said the victims were particularly vulnerable
because of their age and Mr. Sobol “used them essentially as sex
objects.” The male victim was about 7 years old when the sexual
assaults began and the female was even younger, according to Mr.
Marotta.


Defense lawyer Michael H. Erlich asked the judge to impose a
sentence of 5 to 7-1/2 years with 5 years of probation to follow, a
sentence that he said fell within the guidelines. Mr. Erlich said his
client had no prior criminal record.


“The crimes for which the defendant has been convicted can
only be described as despicable,” Judge Kaplan said before imposing
sentence. The judge said one could only hope the victims would be able
to overcome the emotional trauma they suffered.


He also noted, however, that the evidence suggested the sexual
assaults stopped sometime before they were first reported in 2006 and
that Mr. Sobol appeared to have lived “an otherwise productive life.”


Mr. Sobol was given credit for 1,280 days he spent in custody awaiting trial and since his Feb. 19 convictions.