MOLESTER GETS 100-YEAR SENTENCE.Byline: EUGENE TONG Staff Writer A Burbank man convicted of molesting an 11-year-old boy who was his neighbor was sentenced Monday to 100 years to life in prison. Mark Ehlers, 42, was convicted in June of one felony count each of a forcible lewd act upon a child, attempted child molestation Child molestation is a crime involving a range of indecent or sexual activities between an adult and a child, usually under the age of 14. In psychiatric terms, these acts are sometimes known as pedophilia. and false imprisonment false imprisonment, complete restraint upon a person's liberty of movement without legal justification. Actual physical contact is not necessary; a show of authority or a threat of force is sufficient. The person falsely imprisoned may sue the offender for damages. . He also was convicted of 10 misdemeanor counts of possession of child pornography Child pornography is the visual representation of minors under the age of 18 engaged in sexual activity or the visual representation of minors engaging in lewd or erotic behavior designed to arouse the viewer's sexual interest. . Pasadena Superior Court Judge Candace Beason gave Ehlers the maximum sentence -- his prior conviction on two felony sexual battery counts in Florida and the three convictions in the current case totaled a minimum 100 years in prison, Deputy District Attorney Oscar Plascencia said. ``The court did what was appropriate given the facts and the evidence of the case,'' he said after the hearing. ``It was the maximum.'' Ehlers' attorney could not be reached for comment. Prosecutors said Ehlers molested mo·lest tr.v. mo·lest·ed, mo·lest·ing, mo·lests 1. To disturb, interfere with, or annoy. 2. To subject to unwanted or improper sexual activity. the boy on Jan. 16, 2004, and attempted a second lewd act on the child on March 15, 2004. He turned himself in later that month, just as police issued an arrest warrant. Authorities said Ehlers befriended the boy and his family, who were from Burbank, and presented himself as a substitute teacher. Investigators could not confirm he had actually taught, and believed it was a ruse Ruse (r  `sĕ), city (1993 pop. 170,209), NE Bulgaria, on the Danube River bordering Romania. The chief river port of Bulgaria, it is also an industrial and communications center. to win the confidence of the boy's parents. Before moving to Burbank, Ehlers lived in Glendale and Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale (lô`dərdāl), residential, commercial, and resort city (1990 pop. 149,377), seat of Broward co., SE Fla., on the Atlantic coast; settled around a fort built (c.1837) in the Seminole War, inc. 1911. , Fla., where he was convicted of two counts of sexual battery with force, police said. During the trial, prosecutors called as a witness a man who was molested by the defendant in Florida 23 years ago. eugene.tong(at)dailynews.com (818) 546-3304 |
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