I write to you today because we owe our children more.  I see the types of sentences sexual assault criminals receive in our justice system and to be bold they are pathetic.  These are sentences that do not deter a predator from molesting a child.  We are allowing predators to mentally and physically abuse our children with a sentence of 1-5 years. But our children are receiving mental anguish for a lifetime.  I witnessed one of the largest molestation cases in the State of Ohio.  To be a matter of fact my daughter is a victim.  As parents we watched helplessly as John Austin Hopkins rubbed and groped our daughters. We watched helplessly as he had an erection from squeezing, rubbing, groping and grinding on our daughters.  He had 88 little girls that were originally found to have contact with him. The day of sentencing we were notified that there were 89.  Out of those little girls 28 received felony indictments of Gross Sexual Imposition with a minor for a total of 36 counts.  After a year we went to trial. John Austin Hopkins was found guilty on 34 of 36 counts.  The two counts that were not guilty did not have video footage. A bold statement to how their little voices fell on deaf ears.  Without the video footage we would have nothing, and his abuse would still be going on to this day.  We have waited for the sentencing hearing, feeling that his punishment would fit the crime for the pain and suffering he has caused.  He was facing a minimum of one year per count.  Sir, as you know that is 34 years.  He was facing a maximum of 170 years. As I listened to John Austin Hopkins say he did not touch these girls for his sexual gratification. He loved these children as if they were his sisters and or cousin. He tried to use autism as a defense that was debunked by all testing.  All testing led to the fact that he was sexually attracted to little girls from the age 6-12.  In his own words during his police interrogation he stated that he had Asian porn on his devices because they were tiny.  His lawyers mocking the fact that he was not rubbing breast because our daughters do not have any at their age. All the testing showed that is what he is sexually attracted to. I listened to the Judge tell Austin he could clearly see he was aroused in the videos.  That Austin was delusional. That Austin’s family is in denial of his actions.  That this case is gut wrenching.  I listed as the Judge read his sentence per count:

Count 1: 36 Months

Count 2: 60 Months

Count 3: 36 Months

Count 4: 36 Months

Count 5: 60 Months

Count 6: 60 Months

Count 8: 36 Months

Count 9: 36 Months

Count 10: 36 Months

Count 11: 60 Months

Count 12: 36 Months

Count 13: 36 Months

Count 14: 36 Months

Count 15: 60 Months

Count 16: 36 Months

Count 17: 36 Months

Count 18: 60 Months

Count 19: 60 Months

Count 20: 36 Months

Count 21: 36 Months

Count 22: 60 Months

Count 23: 36 Months

Count 24: 36 Months

Count 25: 36 Months

Count 26: 36 Months

Count 27: 36 Months

Count 28: 60 Months

Count 29: 36 Months

Count 30: 60 Months

Count 31: 26 Months

Count 32: 60 Months

Count 33: 36 Months

Count 34: 60 Months

Count 35: 60 Months

 

He was sentenced to 128 years in prison.  The Judge grouped the 36 months sentence into Group A and said this time was to be served concurrent.  He took the 60 months sentence and grouped this into Group B and said this time was to be served concurrent.  Group A and Group B were to be served consecutive, for a total of 8 years.  Time that equates to 3.56 months per victim that has a felony conviction and 2.82 months per count.  The minimum sentence states 12 months per count, 2.82 months per count is NOT justice.  The law did not fail our children, the sentence did!  John Austin Hopkins will be 34 years old when he is released from prison. Our daughters will be between 15 and 16 years old when he is released from prison.  I am writing to you because I want to see change.  I would like to see the sentence for Gross Sexual Imposition with a minor not allow a concurrent sentence when there is more than one victim involved.  My daughter’s count received a 60-month sentence. John Austin Hopkins will only be serving 2.82 months for what he did to my daughter. The sentence is supposed to fit the crime and protect the community.  John Austin Hopkins being released at 34 years old is not protecting little girls in any community and is not justice for what he did to all 89 girls.  Yes, he must register as a sex offender but again that provides minimal protection for the children in any community. John Austin Hopkins benefited from molesting all these girls in a mass setting.  Please work with us to provide change.  Change that will deter a predator from molesting any child.  Please stand with as we say sexual abuse is not okay.