LOCKPORT – Downcast sex offender Derrick J. Houser was sentenced to 10 years in state prison Friday for four felonies, including sexual relations with two adolescent girls.
“I’m deeply ashamed of this entire situation,” Houser, 27, told Niagara County Judge Matthew J. Murphy III. “My family has disowned me. I haven’t accomplished anything my whole entire life.”
Houser had pleaded guilty May 10 to attempted second-degree criminal sexual act for having oral sex with a 14-year-old girl in Niagara Falls in late February or early March 2012.
Houser also entered guilty pleas March 8 to two counts of failure to register as a sex offender and violation of probation on a 2009 Erie County conviction for attempted first-degree sexual abuse. That case involved a 15-year-old girl and made Houser a Level 1 sex offender.
Houser broke probation by leaving his apartment on Cedar Avenue in Niagara Falls in June 2012 without permission. He moved to Detroit to be with his girlfriend and their child. Houser also failed to disclose a Facebook account to state authorities, as required by law.
“He was afraid if his girlfriend went to Michigan, he’d never see his child again and he’d be out of her life,” said Assistant Public Defender A. Joseph Catalano. He said he had a hard time convincing Houser that he should have tried to work something out with the Probation Department instead of simply leaving town.
Ironically, said Catalano, what Houser feared has come to pass because of the long prison sentence.
Murphy also ordered that Houser must be under parole-like supervision for 20 years after he is released. That’s the maximum post-release supervision allowed by law, and it was requested by Assistant District Attorney Robert A. Zucco.
Co-defense counsel Brian J. Hutchison told Murphy that he thought Houser’s problems stemmed from mental health issues and drug abuse.
The 14-year-old victim wrote a letter, part of which Murphy read aloud. She declared that she was raped and commented, “Mr. Houser is a very intimidating person.”
email: tprohaska@buffnews.com
“I’m deeply ashamed of this entire situation,” Houser, 27, told Niagara County Judge Matthew J. Murphy III. “My family has disowned me. I haven’t accomplished anything my whole entire life.”
Houser had pleaded guilty May 10 to attempted second-degree criminal sexual act for having oral sex with a 14-year-old girl in Niagara Falls in late February or early March 2012.
Houser also entered guilty pleas March 8 to two counts of failure to register as a sex offender and violation of probation on a 2009 Erie County conviction for attempted first-degree sexual abuse. That case involved a 15-year-old girl and made Houser a Level 1 sex offender.
Houser broke probation by leaving his apartment on Cedar Avenue in Niagara Falls in June 2012 without permission. He moved to Detroit to be with his girlfriend and their child. Houser also failed to disclose a Facebook account to state authorities, as required by law.
“He was afraid if his girlfriend went to Michigan, he’d never see his child again and he’d be out of her life,” said Assistant Public Defender A. Joseph Catalano. He said he had a hard time convincing Houser that he should have tried to work something out with the Probation Department instead of simply leaving town.
Ironically, said Catalano, what Houser feared has come to pass because of the long prison sentence.
Murphy also ordered that Houser must be under parole-like supervision for 20 years after he is released. That’s the maximum post-release supervision allowed by law, and it was requested by Assistant District Attorney Robert A. Zucco.
Co-defense counsel Brian J. Hutchison told Murphy that he thought Houser’s problems stemmed from mental health issues and drug abuse.
The 14-year-old victim wrote a letter, part of which Murphy read aloud. She declared that she was raped and commented, “Mr. Houser is a very intimidating person.”
email: tprohaska@buffnews.com