Saying “I can’t be like a normal kid,” a young man told District Court Judge Michelle Leavitt this morning how he feels now in the aftermath of a 2006 kidnapping and rape that left the teen with a lack of trust and a fear of police. The testimony came in the sentencing for Shawn Shelton who was convicted earlier this year on four counts including, First Degree Kidnapping, Sexual Assault with a Minor under Sixteen Years of Age, Battery with Intent to Commit Sexual Assault with a Minor under Sixteen Years of Age and Use of a Minor in the Production of Pornography.
During Shelton’s trial the 14-year-old victim took the stand and described how he was approached by Shelton, who told him he was a policeman. The victim then described how he was taken to an area of the desert and was forced to perform fellatio on Shelton.
Today, Judge Leavitt sentenced Shelton to a sentence of 35 years to life in the Nevada Department of Corrections. If he is paroled, Shelton must register as a sex offender and will be placed under lifetime supervision. Shelton did not address the court.
