CANTON, New York (WWNY) – A Lisbon man will spend 35 years to life in prison for sexually abusing a child over about a year and a half.
Thirty-seven-year-old Douglas Monroe was sentenced in St. Lawrence County Court Monday morning.
He was found guilty of predatory sexual assault upon a child, first-degree sexual abuse, and two counts of second-degree rape following a week-long jury trial in July.
Monroe was arrested in June 2022. The assaults happened in the town of Lisbon and the city of Ogdensburg from 2020-2022.
Prosecutors said a family welcomed Monroe into their home and he, in return, rewarded that kindness by preying on them and taking advantage of the victim.
The abuse began when the child was 12 and continued after their 13th birthday.
“Any case like this, it’s the victim having the courage to come forward and be able to put their story out there and face their attacker in an open courtroom, be able to tell their story, which they were able to do and thankfully, we had a just outcome,” said District Attorney Gary Pasqua.
Monroe was sentenced as a second felony offender. He told the judge he felt his rights were violated in the courtroom.
Defense lawyer John Hallett said sentencing Monroe to consecutive terms for each of the crimes, versus concurrent, was unwarranted.
Copyright 2023 WWNY. All rights reserved.
