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Sex offender faces 15 years in prison

Charlottesville District Court Judge Ward F. Harkrader sentenced 1998 College graduate Alexander Christian Proctor to 15 years in prison Tuesday for an October 1998 sexual assault against a female former University student.

Proctor pleaded guilty to animate object sexual penetration in July. Prosecutors decided not to charge him with rape after July DNA tests showed his semen on the victim.

Proctor's attorney, James Roberts, said he feels that Harkrader carried a "heavy burden" and provided the best sentence he was able to under the circumstances.

"I think [the judge] felt [Proctor] ought to have ... lengthy period of time" in prison, Roberts said.

But he also said Harkrader has left the prison sentence open for reconsideration in December 2000, after Proctor will have served 13 months in prison.

He added that the defense "will be entitled to make a motion for reduction" of sentence at that time.

Asst. City Commonwealth's Attorney Claude V. Worrell said the sentence imposed by Harkrader on Proctor was fair.

"This is a rape case," Worrell said. "It should not be treated any differently" from any other sexual assault case.

Roberts said he hopes the judge does reconsider the sentence next December.

"Incarceration for 13 months was not inappropriate," he said. "I think that's the way the judge was looking at it."

But Worrell said Proctor should not be given a more lenient treatment.

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