A man who admitted to raping a 12-year-old girl has been handed a suspended sentence.
Martin Joseph Blake was sentenced at Montana's Valley County District Court to 30 years in prison. The 40-year-old was instead ordered to spend 60 days in jail, with credit for the 17 days he had already served and to register as a sex offender.
Blake admitted he raped the child once, but two other rape charges were dismissed as part of his plea deal, which requested a 100-year sentence, with 75 years suspended.
The agreement would have seen Blake serve 25 years however sentencing Judge John C. McKeon did not follow recommendations.
He cited the support Blake received from family, friends, his church and employer as reasons for his leniency.
Valley County Attorney Dylan Jensen expressed his dismay at the sentencing.
“I was shocked and disappointed, but I respect the judge’s decision,” he told the Glasgow Courier.
Public defender Casey Moore argued that Blake would benefit from the recommended community-based treatment program and described him as remorseful, forthright and cooperative, as well as low-risk for repeat offences.
News of the sentence has caused an outpouring of condemnation.
An online petition to protest Blake’s sentencing has been set up.
The petition states: "It is time to start punishing the judges who let these monsters walk our streets. It is time to remove Judge McKeon from the bench."
It had garnered more than 2,257 signatures at the time of writing.
