A former New York police officer received a controversial sentence of 10 weekends in jail for raping a 13-year-old girl.
On Wednesday, Judge Kristina Karle sentenced former Rochester cop Shawn Jordan, 40, to 10 weekends in jail—20 days total—followed by 10 years of probation under a plea agreement. He must also register as a sex offender.
Karle approved the plea deal, telling Jordan, “I hope you feel shame, I hope you feel remorse, and I hope you never, ever hurt another child,” according to Rochester First.
On Thursday, Kathryn Robb, national director of the Children’s Justice Campaign at the Enough Abuse organization called the sentencing a slap in the face for the victim and her family.
“This sentence is the epitome of injustice and a dangerous nod to child sexual predators, letting them know, ‘No worries, we won’t go too hard on you,’” said Robb. “This little girl will be imprisoned by her memories for life, while [the rapist] loses a mere 20 days of his liberty.”
Robb, an attorney who has been instrumental in helping state legislatures across the U.S. amend child sexual abuse laws, added, “Rape of a child is one of the most horrendous crimes with lifelong effects on the victim,” according to NBC 10.
Scott Berkowitz, president and founder of the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), also criticized the sentence, saying, “A sentence of 10 years in prison, or more, would make a lot more sense than one of 10 weekends. He’ll be out in a few months, while she will be dealing with the consequences of his crime for many years to come.”
Jordan admitted in March to sexually assaulting the teenager in 2022 while serving as a Rochester police officer, according to The New York Post.
Jordan also faces a pending case from 2023 involving another victim, where he allegedly exposed himself over a video call to a 16-year-old girl in Monroe County, New York. The case reportedly led to his suspension and resignation.
