photo by: Sara Shepherd/Journal-World File Photo

In this file photo from May 28, 2019, Johnie L. Saluto appears at a hearing in Douglas County District Court.

Updated at 2:15 p.m. Wednesday:

A Lawrence man was sentenced Wednesday to just more than 10 years in prison for sexually abusing a girl he babysat for four years, starting when she was 4 years old.

Johnie L. Saluto, 32, entered a plea in March to two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, both level-3 felonies. He had initially faced seven charges, including four felonies that were punishable by life in prison, known as Jessica’s Law crimes.

The Journal-World previously reported that Saluto claimed he wasn’t sexually attracted to the girl, but he told police that being naked, masturbating and watching porn in front of her was “exciting” because he knew it’s something he isn’t supposed to do. He admitted to having the girl touch him while he did this.

The girl described in detail to Lawrence Police Officer Lindsay Bishop what Saluto had been doing. She also described in detail some scenes from the pornographic videos he showed her, the Journal-World previously reported.

Bishop wrote in the probable cause affidavit supporting Saluto’s arrest that approximately one hour into an interview with her and Officer Joshua Leitner, “Johnie leaned forward on the table and stated ‘Ok I have done it.'”

Saluto’s description of specific acts that occurred over a number of years when he was alone with the girl at his home and at her home were in keeping with her account, the Journal-World reported. He reportedly told police that once when the girl was 4 or 5 he removed her underwear but never touched her in that area.

The girl’s parents both addressed Douglas County District Court Judge Kay Huff at the sentencing hearing, speaking of the trust they had for Saluto before they found out what was going on. It was a “major violation of trust on so many different levels,” the girl’s father said.

The girl’s father told Huff that they didn’t want Saluto to set foot outside of prison until their daughter was at least 18. However, he said he understood restrictions of the sentencing guidelines and that Saluto could be released sooner than that with good time credit; they just asked that Huff impose the maximum sentence allowed.

“He’s stolen her innocence, and I don’t want him to steal her childhood,” the girl’s mother said. “… We want him in prison for as long as possible so she can feel safe and secure.”

Saluto appeared in court with his attorney, Nicholas Hayes, of the Swain Law Office. Saluto declined to address the court at the sentencing.

Hayes said Saluto has been honest “from day one” in the case, when he first went into the police station to be interrogated. He also said Saluto had avoided having the victim come in to testify.

Debby Moody, senior assistant district attorney, said that with the plea agreement, Saluto would serve the aggravated sentence of 61 months for each of the two felony charges, and that he would be subject to lifetime sex offender registration and post-release supervision.

Huff followed the plea agreement and sentenced Saluto to 122 months in prison. He had no criminal history, and the sentence was the maximum allowable for the crime under Kansas sentencing guidelines. The offenses cannot be expunged, Huff said.

Saluto is eligible for 15% good time credit, and he has 467 days of jail time credit as he has remained in custody of the Douglas County Jail on $500,000 bond since he was first arrested in May 2019.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office declined to release Saluto’s booking photo to the Journal-World when he was initially charged. The sheriff’s office also declined a second request for the photo after Saluto was sentenced Wednesday.

Related coverage

• June 11, 2019: Affidavit: Lawrence man admitted he sexually abused, showed porn to girl he babysat, starting when she was 4

• May 20, 2019: Lawrence man charged with sex crimes against 8-year-old