HELENA - A Helena woman was sentenced Monday for the rape and molestation of a child.
Judge Kathy Seeley sentenced 39-year-old Renee Mills to 40 years in the Montana Women’s Prison, with 10 years suspended.
“This is a very, very serious crime that has caused very serious harm to the victim,” said Seeley. “I note in the psychosexual (evaluation) that she still struggles in taking accountability and I’m not satisfied that she really understands the havoc that she has wreaked."
Mills enetered an “Alford plea” to the charges of felony sexual intercourse without consent and felony sexual assault involving a child under the age of 16.
An Alford plea isn't an admission of guilt, but an acknowledgment that if the case went to trial there is likely enough evidence to convict.
Court documents reported two separate incidents of rape or sexual assault against a minor in early 2014.
That victim spoke at the sentencing and emotionally told the court they can’t wait for Mills to go to prison.
Mills will register as a level one sexual offender and have to complete all levels of sexual offender treatment before she could be eligible for parole.
During the sentencing the defense stated Mills was a victim herself, having suffered similar significant trauma at a young age and lost everything in the process of this case.
