A Franklin man was sentenced Wednesday to 20 to 40 years in prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting a young girl between 2011 and 2014.
Frederick Bassett, 31, was convicted of four counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault following a November jury trial in Merrimack County Superior Court in Concord. When he returned to the courthouse Wednesday to learn his fate, he was supported by about 20 people who had turned out for the hearing.
The minimum sentence handed down by Judge Richard McNamara was 10 years less than Assistant Merrimack County Attorney David Rotman recommended, and 15 years more than defense attorney Brad Davis asked for on Bassett’s behalf.
McNamara told Bassett, “The public needs to know how serious this offense is, and the court needs to know you won’t be in a position to do this again.”
Further, he encouraged Bassett to rehabilitate himself while in prison and to take advantage of the programming available to him.
If Bassett commits to bettering himself, there will be “a light at the end of the tunnel,” McNamara said. “The choice will be up to you, which is a choice you didn’t give the victim in this case.”
Bassett’s young victim, now a teenager, did not attend Wednesday’s sentencing hearing or submit a statement to the court. She was interviewed as part of a pre-sentence investigation process, which is routinely conducted by the state’s Department of Corrections. She indicated at that time that she felt a 10- to 15-year sentence was appropriate.
Rotman referenced that point during his opening remarks, saying, “10 to 15 years for countless rape crimes is simply not enough.” He said Bassett physically, emotionally and mentally violated a child, and committed one of the “most heinous crimes that could be perpetrated in our society.”
Bassett, who has no criminal record, maintains his innocence. After the jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges, he sought to have his convictions thrown out, citing insufficient evidence. He identified areas where he thought the prosecution’s case was weak because the girl’s testimony was not corroborated.
Existing law in New Hampshire does not require corroboration of a sexual assault.
Davis said when he addresses the court at a sentencing hearing, he typically speaks to the defendant’s feelings of remorse. But, he noted, this case is different because Bassett has not waived his innocence.
He argued that Bassett’s sentence should be more about deterrence and rehabilitation than punishment.
Bassett did not address the court Wednesday, but his childhood friend of more than 20 years, Jason Stockbridge, did. Stockbridge said he has seen Bassett love and care for other people, and feels “the world is a much better place with Fred as an active participant.”
“To this day, I still trust Fred with the things I value most in this world,” Stockbridge said, adding that that included his three children.
After the sentencing hearing, Stockbridge called the entire situation unfortunate and said he looks forward to supporting Bassett during the appeal process.
(Alyssa Dandrea can be reached at 369-3319, adandrea@cmonitor.com or on Twitter @_ADandrea.)