A 35-year-old woman who was found guilty of sexually assaulting a juvenile relative after two trials was sentenced to prison this week.
Chief Monongalia County Circuit Judge Debra Scudiere sentenced Sarah Elizabeth Webber to 10-20 years in prison for her conviction of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian or custodian. Webber also was sentenced to five-25 years in prison for first-degree sexual abuse and six months in jail for domestic assault.
Webber has to register as a sex offender for life because her victim was a minor and will be on extra supervision for 25 years after her release. Scudiere ordered Webber to not contact her children unless another court orders it for a case.
The two abuse charges will run concurrent and Webber will serve the six-month sentence consecutive to them, Scudiere ruled.
Prosecutor Perri DeChristopher recommended that sentence run consecutive because it was against a different victim than the two abuse charges.
Webber said this process has been a nightmare and that she rejected a plea deal because she never thought she would be convicted of something she didn’t do.
Her attorney, Stephanie Nethken asked for an alternative sentence of probation or home confinement. Nethken noted Webber’s boss would hire her back for the same position and friends were maintaining her apartment so she would have a place to live.
DeChristopher asked Scudiere to give Webber prison time. A psychologist spoke with Webber and prepared a report, which ultimately suggested Webber should not be treated in the community.
The plea Webber was offered was because DeChristopher didn’t want the juveniles to have go through the traumatizing experience of testifying and said Webber’s own actions were the reason for her conviction.
“We believe children in this community,” DeChristopher said.
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