ESCANABA - An Escanaba man was sentenced to prison on one count of a sex offender accosting children for immoral purposes Thursday. The judgment was handed down in Delta County Circuit Court.
Richard Simon King, 34, appeared before Judge Stephen Davis who sentenced him to two to four years in prison on the felony. He was given credit for 141 days already served in the county jail. King was also ordered to pay $198 in fines and costs.
Prior to sentencing, King's attorney, James Viau, said his client cannot make right choices. Viau urged the court to help King in any way because he suffers from a mental disorder, has a history of substance abuse, and sustained a serious head injury as a child.
King apologized to the victim and to the victim's family. He also apologized to the court. Davis said the court cannot help him but the court can keep him away from others by sending him to prison.
King was originally charged with one count of sexual offender accosting children for immoral purposes and one count of sexual offender communicating with another on the Internet to commit a crime. The second count, a 10-year felony, was dismissed.
The charges stem from a Jan. 10, 2012 incident in Escanaba.