Sex abuser loses house; proceeds go to restitution

11-20-2009 Vermont:

A Rutland man convicted of multiple counts of producing child pornography lost his freedom, his savings and his home on Wednesday.

Allan E. Patrick, 58, was sentenced to more than 12 years in jail and agreed to forfeit his Royce Street home and his retirement account to pay $142,500 to five victims. Patrick's home at 21 Royce St. has been transferred to the federal government, which plans to sell the property. Patrick's lawyer said the property is assessed at $149,700.

Patrick pleaded guilty in August to charges that he videotaped sexual acts performed by children as young as 8 years old at his home between 2000 and 2002, according to court records.

He was arrested in February 2008 and charged in Rutland District Court. In February 2009 his case was transferred to U.S. District Court where a magistrate ordered him jailed pending trial.

On Wednesday, the court heard from the grandmother of two victims and two young women who the lawyers said would receive restitution from Patrick but who weren't named in the criminal case.

"He was old enough to know better. They trusted him and he violated that," the grandmother said breaking down into sobs as she confronted Patrick.

"It's been hell," one of the young women said recalling nightmarish memories she said takes medication to suppress. "He was reeling us in in ways he knew he could get us."

The woman's allusions were to Patrick's practice of buying cigarettes and alcohol for the children and teenagers he is convicted of videotaping in his home.

"He thinks I'm not a victim," the other woman said referring to objections the defense attorney made regarding the women's ability to address the court. "But I've got the emotional scars that won't go away in 10 years or 20 years. They're never going away."

Standing up at the end of the hearing, Patrick faced the rows of victims seated behind him and apologized.

"I'm very sorry," he said. "I was the adult and you were the children. I know I hurt you and I hope the restitution will take care of your treatment and I hope you lead good and healthy lives."

Patrick also apologized to the court and promised he wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

"I want you to know if I do get a second chance I'll get every kind of counseling I can in prison," Patrick told the judge. "There's a half of me that's a good person who worked hard all his life but the other half of me the devil's got a grip right on. That's the part I want to get fixed."

Judge J. Garvan Murtha said he recognized the different sides of Patrick, whose criminal record was otherwise clean. But he rejected his request for a minimum 10-year sentence choosing instead to send Patrick to jail for 12 years and seven months.

"You do have a sickness. Some of your character is good, some of it not so good and some of it terrible," Murtha said. "The seriousness of the offenses is horrendous which is why I'm sentencing you to 151 months." ..Source.. Brent Curtis Staff Writer