NORTHAMPTON – An Easthampton man was sentenced Friday to 16 to 18 years in state prison on child rape charges.
Robert E. LaFoe Jr., 50, pleaded guilty in Hampshire Superior Court to four counts of aggravated rape of a child (5 year age difference); four counts of aggravated rape of a child (10 year age difference); seven counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14; four counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over; and one count of rape of a child. The crimes spanned 31 years and involved three victims.
LaFoe lived at a home that formerly held a daycare center, although his victims were not children under the daycare center’s care.
All three victims were known to LaFoe. The Gazette does not generally identify victims of rape and sexual assault.
At LaFoe’s sentencing, the commonwealth emphasized the impact of his crimes on the victims and asked for a sentence of 18 to 20 years in prison and 10 years probation.
“Make no mistake, he has imposed a life sentence on each of those three victims,” Assistant District Attorney Linda Pisano said. “This has spanned his entire life almost.”
LaFoe’s attorney, Korrina Burnham, asked for a sentence of 10 years to 10 years and 1 day, emphasizing that LaFoe is taking responsibility for his actions.
“He understands that he has, as the commonwealth pointed out, imposed a life sentence on the people who he made his victims,” Burnham said.
Burnham also cited LaFoe’s lack of a prior criminal record, the age he will be when released and that he will almost certainly be classified as a Level 3 sex offender.
Judge Richard Carey ultimately sentenced LaFoe to 16 to 18 years in prison and five years of probation. LaFoe also received credit for 525 days already served.
Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com.