A former serial rapist, with some unprosecuted crimes dating back to the 1980s and 90s, has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2008 kidnapping, rape and murder of his niece, as reported by WCAX Channel 3.
Judge William Sessions in a Burlington, Vt. Courtroom sentenced M.J., 48, on May 20.
Tris Coffin, the U.S. attorney for Vermont, said, "(M.J.) was the most scheming, predatory sex offender that we have ever seen."
C.A., the mother of B.B., 12 at the time of her murder, told M.J. "I miss my daughter every day. Not a day goes by I don't think of her... Today I face the monster who took her away. You coward, look at me... I hope this haunts you the rest of your life."
Vermont State Police Colonel T.L. commented, "I would never have thought it would have taken this long, but that's the system. In the end this is the way it worked out."
According to T.L. the investigation led to horrifying discoveries that continue to disturb some of the law enforcement personnel that were connected to the case. It began as an "unbelievable chain of events" that included a sex ring of girls, brainwashing, and trickery.
J.B., B.B.'s father, said that M.J. lured his daughter over to his home for a fake pool party. Once she arrived he drugged her, sexually assaulted her, smothered her and then buried her. M.J. went so far as to implicate another suspect, and also join in on the search for his missing niece.
J.B. told the court, "I can only hope he will rot in prison, spending every day looking over his shoulder wondering if it's his last."
The plea deal allows for M.J. to escape the death penalty, however, he cannot seek an appeal and will end his days in federal prison.
"This is a crime of unspeakable horror. You victimized a child with grotesque brutality. You have spent a life preying on the more vulnerable. You are a cold-hearted killer. It is my intent you spend the rest of your life in prison that you are banished from our community," the judge told M.J.
In addressing B.B.'s family M.J. said, "I realize few people are likely to care what I have to say... the levels of betrayal I let myself sink to are unfathomable... I was embraced by a family and I gave them tragedy and pain... Yes. I am guilty. I alone am the reason you feel pain. For that I am sorry and I am ashamed."
According to authorities B.B. was not the first victim of M.J.'s – he had committed serial rapes during the 1980s and 90s but had rarely been prosecuted. Coffin commented, "There were some opportunities for some intervention with him and to get him into a place where he couldn't hurt people that didn't happen or if they did happen, it didn't work."
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