Longtime child molester gets 50-year term

A man who admitted molesting children for 30 years was sentenced to 50 years in prison Thursday.

John Lewis, 43, was in Montana State Prison this spring on a 2001 sentence for criminal endangerment and failing to register as a sex offender.

Flathead County Sheriffs Office detective Jeanne Landis had taken a report from two children who accused Lewis of molesting them. She went to the prison shortly before he was to be released and asked him about the allegation.

To Landis amazement, Lewis confessed to molesting those children and 22 more.

According to testimony Thursday, there were more than 100 victims if the court counts those whom Lewis admitted calling with obscene messages, purposefully bumping into for sexual contact in crowded places, and engaging in voyeuristic acts unknown to his victims.

He admitted to 24 hands-on victims as young as 1 year old. He was charged with rape in Washington involving a 5-year-old girl. He was convicted at trial there, but the charge was reduced to attempted indecent liberties because of a technicality.

Lewis said he started committing sex crimes when he was 14.

I didnt have to admit to any of them, Lewis said. In prison, he went through sex-offender treatment and believed that confessing candidly would help him stop his behavior. He said that if he had lied to Landis or refused to answer her questions, I probably would have ended up on the street, re-offending.

But he also said, If I had lied, I wouldnt be sitting here right now.

A sex-offender evaluation shows that Lewis is considered a moderate risk to commit more sex crimes. The director of clinical services at the prison, Blair Hopkins, said Lewis did very well in sex-offender treatment and took responsibility for his actions.

Hopkins said he doesnt believe Lewis should go back to prison and if he does, I wouldnt have anything to offer him in terms of treatment. He recommended lifetime community supervision for Lewis instead.

Lewis has said he cant promise he will never commit another sex offense, but that is to his credit, according to his attorney, Glen Neier. That shows that while Lewis has engaged in some reprehensible activities, he is being truthful now.

Mr. Lewis honesty… has really put him in this position… Nobody can say they are not going to reoffend.

Deputy County Attorney Dan Guzynski, though, said that a man held in prison definitely will not molest another child; he recommended a 50-year sentence for Lewis.

To protect the community, we need to be sure he is incarcerated for a long time, Guzynski said. I think hes at high risk to hurt children.

District Judge Ted Lympus took the threat of future behavior seriously, and said he also couldnt overlook Lewis incredibly horrific past that included raping his wife, molesting children at ages 1 and 2, and performing sex acts on young, vulnerable, defenseless victims, including those who were guests in his home.

This is very serious, terrible behavior for which the defendant must be held accountable.

His sentence for Lewis is for the protection of society, he said. I have never come across one that is such a predator as this defendant.

Reporter Chery Sabol may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at csabol@dailyinterlake.com