5 years for molester

PALMER — Apologizing for the damage he caused, a former Boy Scout leader and day care provider was sentenced to five years in prison for molesting a 10-year-old boy.

“This has hurt both of our families,” Matthew Cross, 37, said in court Monday referring to the victim’s family and to his own. “I regret that I have hurt the community reputations of the organizations I worked with.”

By the time the case arrived at Monday’s hearing, the sentence — eight years with three suspended and five to serve — had already been agreed upon. The main point of contention remaining was whether Cross should be allowed contact with his step-son and an adopted son.

“There’s no indication that Mr. Cross’ children are at risk,” argued his attorney, Jeremy Collier.

The victim in the case was a boy who lived at the Cross home for a couple of months. The impact on Cross’ children, Collier argued, was from the fallout of his arrest.

But Prosecutor Trina Sears argued Cross is a risk to the children.

“He was watching cartoons with his own child in the room when he (molested the victim),” Sears said. “He described what he did as an expression of love.”

She didn’t ask for a total ban on visitation, though, just very restricted, highly supervised, and with approval of Cross’ parole officer.

In the end, Superior Court Judge Vanessa White sided with Sears, saying that she found there Cross was a substantial risk to the children. She said she found Cross’ ability to win people over to his side troubling.

“Those folks continue to provide him support and comfort, including the parents of this particular victim,” she said.

So, White argued, she was not convinced that the children could be sufficiently protected from Cross. White also pointed out that the ruling is not a ban on Cross seeing the children in the case, it just places restrictions on those visits.

At this point, Collier argued that if White was correct, then these kinds of restrictions don’t really matter, but higher courts have felt a need to discuss them extensively.

“Well, tell the court of appeals because I’ve made my decision,” White told Collier.

As for the agreed-upon five-year term with an additional three years in reserve to be imposed if he violates his probation, White judged it appropriate, saying that Cross was a first-time offender and the term was likely to “reaffirm societal norms” and deter Cross and others from acting this way in the future.

“Five years in jail with another three hanging over his head will hopefully be a sufficient deterrent,” White said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270 or andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.