QUOTE OF THE DAY
Judge Rosenbaum, after listening to the feedback from both sides of the court room, summed up his thoughts prior to sentencing Ostrander to 15 years in federal prison.
“Mr. Ostrander, your sister and mother say you are a good person. You spoke about sin, and I will tell you, whether you sinned is between you and the Lord. It’s not up to me to judge in that regard. I don’t care if you are a good person.
“I will sentence you based on the acts in violation of federal law. It extracts consequences.
“You have committed theft of innocence, a crime you are profoundly guilty of. As a teacher, father and husband, you have responsibilities. And what you did to these children was a straight up crime. You did it for your own purposes.
“I categorically reject your counsel’s argument that you did not touch, molest or penetrate the victims. The pain is real in every sense. I am profoundly sad for your family. The penalties fall on (all) the families.
“The judge is following the law because you failed to do so. There are victims on both sides of the room, but the perpetrator is standing right in the middle.
“You were nothing but a predator who preyed on people who had every reason to trust you,” the judge concluded.
-- from the judge sentencing Barry Ostrander
