This is a follow-up to the Missouri abuse case story widely covered last month. From KY3:
MARSHFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – A Webster County judge Thursday sent two Amish brothers for prison for violating terms of their probation. Petie and Aaron Schartz of Seymour, Mo. will spend 15 years in prison for their sexual abuse convictions.
The judge had previously sentenced the brothers to five years of probation after both pleaded guilty to sex crimes, according to court records.
Back in June, a pregnant 13-year old Amish girl from Seymour sought medical treatment. Investigators say that Petie and Aaron Schwartz were later charged with six counts of statutory rape in connection to the case. As part of a plea deal, the brothers were given probation, but avoided jail time from that sentence. The two men also had to pay a fine, serve 100 hours of community service and write an apology letter to the Amish community. They were also required to register as sex offenders for the rest of their lives.
After the plea agreement, the prosecutor says the men had contact with the victim, which the judge ruled violated conditions of their probation.
Public protests followed the brothers’ September 8 sentencing to probation and avoidance of jail time. In the end they were not able to avoid violating their probation for long, and perhaps it was not reasonable to expect that they would.
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Victim was their sister
Not surprising they had contact with the victim, since the victim was their minor age sister.
Justice was finally served...sort of
I live in the area where this occurred. Some years ago another member from that community was convicted and sent to prison for incest.
At the time the presiding judge was going to hold the elders accountable for complicity, but didn’t, and that was where justice wasn’t served.
As long as the Amish community HOLDS itself above the law, and doesn’t notify the proper authorities to known abuse, well, you’ll be no better than the scum you protect.
Neglect
It raises the issue of child neglect by parents who likely enabled this situation. It’s not particularly an Amish problem as it happens in other societies as well
I wonder how the Amish handle unwed mothers?
I can’t speak for Kentucky, but here in Pennsylvania plain folk such as the Amish are routinely target by the police as being easy targets. The police know, that plain folk will not fight back, which must seem to them like shooting fish in a barrel. Here in Lancaster county ANYTHING can be criminalized and labeled a felony and often is!
Amish, who basically believe in the golden rule never see the danger a corrupt criminal legal system represents to them and people like them, until it is too late. Remember, there is money to be had in sending people to prison! The prisons profit, the police look good putting a “dangerous felon behind bars”, and the sentencing judge is assured of re-election for being tough on crime! Of course the average American normally does not want to know, that their law enforcement officials are many times corrupt, incompetent and too often dead to the consequences they inflict on innocent people! Did you know, that(at least here in PA) that %25-46%(stats vary)of people behind bars are innocent?! And that many plead guilty on a dirty plea deal just to escape the nightmare of prison for a crime they did not commit. These Amish need help NOW! Once behind bars the deviants such as the guards will get them. How do I know all these things? I know because I myself was falsely accused and spent 3 months behind bars for a crime I did not commit only to be released after purjoring myself by pleading guilty to escape the hell of prison life. Fight back now before these poor young men are swallowed up by a blood soaked system, which cares more about gain such as profit and not about ruined lives!! Take action, NOW!