A Florida man has been sentenced to between 25 and 50 years in state prison for the rape of a Mead Township woman in September 2011.
District Judge Maureen Skerda sentenced George Edward Claritt of 6519 Starks Rd., Seffner, Fla., on counts of aggravated assault with extreme indifference to human life, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and terroristic threat Friday during Warren County Sentence Court proceedings.
The charges stem from a Sept. 17, 2011 incident in which a Mead Township woman reported Claritt physically and sexually assaulted her a number of times in her home while wielding a knife.
According to Warren County District Attorney Ross McKiernan's address to the court, Claritt's victim suffered "disfiguring" scarring as a result of knife wounds from the incident.
McKiernan described the incident as "a singularly violent act," and said, "This court has a duty to protect society."
Claritt maintained his innocence, saying, "I stand here before the court still pleading my innocence... I remember that night and what I did and did not do."
Claritt, who has been confined at the Warren County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail for 273 days, also noted he has begun ministering to other inmates during his incarceration.
"I'm glad you have God," Skerda said before announcing the sentence, "but know that God will be with you wherever you are."
Claritt was ordered to serve 72 to 144 months in a state correctional facility, undergo sexual offender counseling, undergo an anger management program and pay $5,565 in fines, costs and restitution for the count of aggravated assault.
He was ordered to serve between 111 and 222 months and register as a sexual offender under Megan's Law for the count of rape. Claritt is now a lifetime Megan's Law registrant.
He was ordered to serve between 102 and 204 months for the count of involuntary deviant sexual intercourse.
Claritt was sentenced to serve 15 to 32 months for the count of terroristic threats.
All of Claritt's sentences are to be served consecutively.
Skerda declined sentencing for a count of indecent assault of which Claritt had been found guilty, citing the description of the crime being the same as the description for the charge of rape.