BOONE COUNTY, Ind. — Douglas Bray was sentenced Friday to eight years in the Indiana Department of Corrections on one count of child molesting, a level 4 felony, according to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney in Boone County, Indiana.
“We are hopeful that with the completion of the criminal case that the young victim can continue to heal,” said Prosecutor Kent Eastwood.
In January of 2023, Bray was found guilty of sexually touching and/or fondling a 14-year-old child. The 43-year-old Bray will serve six years behind bars and 2 years on probation.
The charges against Bray are originally from sexual acts perpetrated on a juvenile victim from December 2019 – March 2020.
“This case is a testament to a young person bravely sharing their experience of sex abuse,” said Special Victim’s Prosecutor Heidi Jennings. “We all should strive to be this strong and courageous in our day to day lives.”
Bray was also declared to be a Sexually Violent Predator and is required to be a lifetime registrant on the Indiana Sex Offender Registry along with more restrictions and requirements upon release from prison.
“I implore all parents and caregivers of our youth to promote a climate of open communication where a child will not be afraid to share about things in their life that they might be afraid of or embarrassed about,” said Eastwood. “Too often we see that the perpetrator is a person of trust — it is important that children understand that no one should try to break boundary rules and if it happens children should continually share that information until someone listens.”