A 20-year-old upstate New York man who previously pleaded guilty to sex abuse and rape in 2019 has been sentenced to eight years probation after he violated his initial probation restrictions.

On November 16, Judge Matthew Murphy sentenced Christopher Belter, 20, to eight years of probation with no jail time, WKBW reports. Additionally, Belter will have to register as a sex offender.

The Niagara County judge explained why he believed prison time would be inappropriate:

I agonized — I’m not ashamed to say that I actually prayed over what is the appropriate sentence in this case. Because there was great pain. There was great harm — There were multiple crimes committed in the case. It seems to me that a sentence that involves incarceration or partial incarceration isn’t appropriate, so I am going to sentence you to probation.

“A victim in courtroom clearly upset by sentence,” WKBW’s Eileen Buckley stated in a tweet.

In 2018, then 17-year-old Belter was charged with “first degree rape, third degree rape and sexual abuse involving multiple 15- and 16-year-old girls at his Lewiston home,” according to WKBW.

Belter originally pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree sex abuse, third-degree rape, and third-degree attempted abuse in 2019. He was given two years of probation at the time, and if he completed probation, he would have received Youth Offender status.

Part of his probation conditions were restrained internet use and restrictions on access to pornography, according to CNN, citing court documents.

In October, Murphy denied Belter Youthful Offender status and indicated that he would be sentenced as an adult as he violated the terms of his probation, CNN reports, citing court documents.

“We now know from his documented failure to to [sic] follow the rules imposed by the Court about abstinence from pornography that this defendant does not hesitate to ignore the rules when they compete with his own carnal appetites,” Murphy stated per WKBW. 

Before his sentencing on November 16, Belter read a statement addressing his victims, CNN reports.

“Through treatment and reflection, I’ve come to feel deep shame and regret for my actions. None of you deserved to be in this situation,” Belter stated. “I hope each of you could close that wound I gashed.”

“I know though, that a scar will remain that will serve as a reminder of the evil of that night,” he continued.  

Prosecutor Peter Wydysh explained during sentencing that calling Belter’s home a “party house” was a disservice to victims, per WKBW. 

“It was not a party house case judge; it was a house of sexual assault — that is what happened there — that is not something we should look past,” the prosecutor stated. 

Attorney Steve Cohen represents one of the victims and announced his disappointment regarding the sentencing. 

“I am deeply, deeply disappointed. I expected a different outcome today,” Cohen said per WKBW. “Justice was not done today.”

“He is privileged. He comes from money. He is white. He was sentenced as an adult, appropriately — for an adult to get away with these crimes is unjust,” he also stated. 

Cohen suggested his client became physically sick after the sentence came down. 

“I believe she’s in the bathroom throwing up, right now, excuse me,” he said before leaving the courthouse, per WKBW. 

Judge Murphy is set to retire at the end of December at the age of 70, per WKBW.

On December 2, Belter is expected to appear in court for a Sex Offender Registration Act hearing, WKBW reports.