A Hillsboro man who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 92-year-old woman in the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Robert Allen Leensvaart, 37, pleaded guilty Oct. 30, 2015, to the class C felony of first-degree sexual abuse, and on Jan. 29, Jefferson County Circuit Div. 3 Judge Nathan Stewart sentenced him to the three-year term, according to court papers.
Leensvaart was working as a certified nurse’s aide Feb. 19, 2015, at Crystal Oaks Nursing Home in Crystal City when a nurse found him lying in bed with the victim, a resident there, and inappropriately touching her, authorities reported.
Leensvaart admitted to police he had inappropriately touched the victim on numerous occasions, “approximately 100 times,” according to the probable-cause statement.
Leensvaart, who had worked for Crystal Oaks for about 18 months, was fired the same day, Feb. 19.
Tracy Brown, Leensvaart’s attorney, requested probation for her client, noting he had never before been convicted of a crime and probation was possible through a plea agreement reached with the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
When the judge gave Leensvaart an opportunity to make a statement, he quietly said, “There are no words I can say. I truly am sorry.”
Stewart, however, pointed to Leensvaart’s confession and the number of times he had abused the victim, and said he believed prison time was warranted.
“I am going to sentence you to three years in the Department of Corrections to serve,” Stewart said.
Leensvaart was being held Jan. 29 in Jefferson County Jail, and authorities said they did not know when he would be transported to a state prison.
The maximum penalty for a class C felony is seven years in prison.