Royster gets five years for aggravated incest
Last Modified: Sunday, May 27, 2012 7:31 PM
By Taylor Prejean / American Press
Judge Kent Savoie on Friday sentenced a man convicted of aggravated incest to serve five years in prison.
Albert Royster, 55, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated incest on Feb. 16, said prosecutor David Kimball.
During sentencing on Friday, Royster’s defense attorney, Andrew Casanave, said that while Royster admitted to having inappropriate sexual contact with the victim, he is unlikely to repeat the offense.
Casanave asked for a lesser sentence, since it was Royster’s first felony offense and there is “no reason to believe that he won’t lead an exemplary life after this,” he said.
Royster’s daughter told the court that he raised her and was never inappropriate with her or any of her friends.
“He is a good man who made some bad decisions in the past few years.” she told Savoie. “He’s not that rapist that you see on the streets...he’s not that child molester.”
After his daughter spoke on his behalf, Royster told Savoie he was sorry for his actions.
“It changed everybody’s life,” he said.
Casanave asked Savoie to consider sentencing Royster to minimal prison time, suspending a large portion of it. He said such a sentence wouldn’t deprecate the seriousness of the offense, but will give Royster the opportunity to get help.
Casanave indicated that the defendant was drunk when he committed the acts.
“I understand he drank a lot that day, and none of us are smarter when we get drunk,” Casanave said.
Kimball said he would leave the sentencing to the judge’s discretion, but indicated that Royster’s behavior started before the offense and built up to the rape.
“His excuse was that his wife wasn’t having sex with him so he took it from the 14 year old,” Kimball said. “That is unacceptable.”
Kimball said the victim, who was not present in court, has undergone extensive mental health treatment following the incident, and has even attempted suicide.
Savoie said he “thought long and hard” about what Royster’s sentence, which had to fall within the range of 5-20 years.
He sentenced Royster to serve 10 years total, serving five and spending five on supervised probation. As conditions of his release, Royster must have no contact with the victim, submit to random house searches, refrain from using drugs and alcohol and have no internet access.
Posted By: Sarah On: 5/27/2012
Title: Really?
Five years for raping a 14 year old? Shame on Judge Savoie! He just let everyone know that this is "ok".
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