FARMINGTON – A local man was sentenced to a 10-year, partially-suspended sentence Friday, as part of an arranged plea on a sexual assault in 2014.
Jonathan Dumont, 29 of Farmington, pleaded guilty to gross sexual assault, a Class A felony, earlier this month. Two other, similar charges were dismissed as part of the plea arrangement.
According to evidence that the state would have presented had the case gone to trial, Dumont was in the apartment of a victim on June 29, 2014 with another individual after that man had been asked by the victim to move a table. At one point, the victim told both men that her door was broken and asked them if they could fix it. Dumont later returned alone and offered to fix the door.
Dumont then proceeded to climb on top of the seated victim, who was confined to a walker, and sexually assaulted her. He then followed the victim into the bedroom, where he assaulted her again. He left after a family member returned to the home, with that individual telling police that she heard the victim saying “no” and crying.
As part of the arranged sentence, Dumont was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with all but 5 years suspended. He will face 4 years of probation upon his release, with conditions to include no contact with individuals involved with the case, no use of drugs and alcohol and random searches for same. He will be a lifetime registrant in accordance with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
In a letter written by the victim, read in court by a family member, she said that she had been “progressing” since the assault, which she called “harrowing and excruciating.” She thanked District Attorney’s Office and Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Services personnel for their assistance and also addressed Dumont directly.
“You have not, nor will you ever define me,” she wrote. She went on to say that the SORNA registration, however, would follow Dumont for the rest of his life.
Justice William Stokes said that he felt the plea arrangement was “fair,” given the risks to both sides at trial and the fact that it spared the victim the need to testify.
Ten years all suspended but five wow. Should’ve gotten the full ten years but that just my opinion.
What a horror for the poor victim; sexual assault is a terrible thing but to force oneself upon a person dependent on a walker, without a chance to run, is truly despicable! I agree with Buffy – Mr. Dumont should serve the full 10 years. It seems that sexual assaults are occurring with more frequency and I think the judicial system must send a clear & strong message by its sentencing. I understand that deals are often made to spare the victim further trauma but surely there can be a better compromise. Sadly many individuals have the moral compass of an amoeba and “live in the moment”, even though that moment means violating another human being. The only way to curb this atrocious behavior is by tougher laws including longer prison sentences.
This crime was horrible, I wonder how many deals are made on both sides to produce less work for the legal system, and how much support is really there for the victim?
It has been said that rape is not an act seeking sexual satisfaction. I think that is probably true. A rapist wants control. So, it seems to me that anyone (male or female) who exerts control on someone smaller or weaker than they are — they are bullies.
I fail to understand why we keep making plea agreements with people who break the law. Especially sexual laws. Why bother to have standards for crimes when we don’t use them. I am so tired of seeing people only get a slap on the wrist. Please tell me theres more to it than always making a plea agreement.