The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the prison sentence for a Marshalltown man accused of having sex with underage girls he met when he was a D-J at a local bowling alley. Tracye Knight entered a special “Alford” plea to the charges against him — it means he wasn’t coming right out and admitting guilt but was acknowledging the charges against him and agreeing to be sentenced. He asked for time in a halfway house and probation but a district court judge ordered him behind bars. The judge cited Knight’s lack of remorse in making that decision. Knight was arrested when he was 31-years-old and charged with having sex with teenage girls, keeping a journal of his sexual exploits and taking pictures, making videos and putting the images on his computer. Recently, the Iowa Court of Appeals ruled that Knight should be not penalized for failing to apologize for his behavior. But the Iowa Supreme Court justices say Knight’s lack of remorse for his actions is a valid factor in determining his need for rehabilitation and whether he’s likely to again prey on young girls if he’s released. That means it’s prison time, not probation, for Knight.
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