Sex offender takes plea; sentenced to 15 years
Friday, December 28, 2001By EMILY S. ACHENBAUM emilyachenbaum@sanduskyregister.com
SANDUSKY
Daniel Sams rocked back and forth on his feet and fidgeted with rolled-up papers, tapping them loudly against his leg, throughout his 45-minute sentencing hearing Friday in Erie County Common Pleas Court. Sams, 24, 1200 block of Avondale St., pleaded guilty to charges ranging from rape to pandering sexual oriented matter to a minor during the emotional hearing Friday. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and will be classified as a sexual predator -- the highest classification for sexual offenders. One girl cried quietly throughout the sentencing and so did the relatives of another girl. One couple, sitting among Sams' supporters, ran out of the courtroom in tears. Erie County Assistant Prosecutor Mary Ann Barylski said Sams' offenses "could not be worse, other than to kill" his two young female victims, one of whom was younger than 6 years old at the time and an acquaintance. The other victim, whom Sams also knew, was "groomed" by Sams, Barylski said, with flattering e-mails over the Internet. The age of the victims, Sams' previous sex offense conviction, the "grooming" and the nature of the relationships were all reasons Barylski gave why Sams warranted more than the minimum sentence for his crimes. Sams was indicted in November by an Erie County grand jury on two counts of rape, one count of pandering obscenity involving a minor and one count of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. Sams was already facing August indictments on unrelated counts of rape, gross sexual imposition and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles. "I apologize to everyone for hurting them and I hope they will forgive me," Sams said when addressing the victims and victims' families. Sams was quiet for most of the sentencing hearing until the fate of his Gateway computer, which he used to show pornography, was discussed. Sams was concerned over which of his video games may be confiscated, he said. According to Huron police, Sams had sex with a 12-year-old girl in October. He was arrested and charged with rape after the girl's parents called police. Any sexual contact with a person under 13 years old is considered rape, police said. Sandusky police arrested Sams in August for allegedly molesting a girl younger than 5 years old and showing her pornographic material. Sams was out on bond after both arrests. Sams' attorney, Allison Mittendorf, said during the hearing that Sams had discussed with her that he had problems although he "sought help too late" and that she wanted Sams to receive counseling in prison. Sams would face life in prison if a jury had found him guilty of all the charges. The sexual predator classification requires Sams to check in every 90 days for the rest of his life with the sheriff in his resident county, in addition to notifying the sheriff within seven days when moving to or away from any county. Sams will also be on probation for five years after release from prison. Erie County Common Pleas Judge Ann Maschari said any sentence less severe than what Sams received would "demean" the severity of his crimes.