An Indiana man, Robert Lee Morrissey Jr., 60, has been sentenced to 70 years in Montana State Prison for molesting a girl multiple times in Laurel, Montana. The sentencing took place in Yellowstone County District Court before Judge Ashley Harada. Morrissey, who maintained his innocence throughout the trial, admitted to sexually abusing girls when he was younger during the course of the Laurel investigation.
The abuse came to light in March 2020 when the Laurel Police Department launched an investigation following a report from the state Department of Public Health and Human Services. The mother of the survivor reported that Morrissey had groped her daughter on multiple occasions. The girl, who was still in her teens at the time, testified that Morrissey sexually abused her from 2015 to 2017, starting when she was 8 years old.
During the trial, Morrissey denied the allegations, claiming that he may have accidentally touched the girl’s leg or placed her hand on his genitals while reaching for a Life Savers candy. However, the jury found him guilty on all three counts of sexual assault.
Several adult survivors of Morrissey’s abuse also testified in court, commending the girl who came forward and applauding her bravery. Prosecutors requested an 80-year prison sentence, highlighting the harm inflicted on the survivor and her family, as well as Morrissey’s admission to past abuse. Defense attorney Tyler Dugger requested a sentence ranging from 20 to 25 years, emphasizing that no other allegations had been raised against Morrissey since he was underage.
Judge Harada ultimately sentenced Morrissey to 70 years in prison for each count of sexual assault, to be served concurrently. She emphasized that Morrissey was not a victim but a serious sex offender. Harada also ordered him to seek sex offender treatment while in custody.
The survivor, present in court during the sentencing, was praised by Harada as a hero who needed to know that justice had been served. Morrissey has been in custody at Yellowstone County Detention Facility since the guilty verdict in April 2023.
Author: Ryan Scott
Just a guy
