A 70-year-old Astoria man was sentenced Tuesday to more than five years in prison for the sexual abuse of a 12-year-old girl who trusted him like a grandfather.
William Schuster, who was arrested in March by the Astoria Police Department, pleaded no contest to five of the nine charges he faced, including attempted first-degree sex abuse, attempted second-degree sodomy, attempted sexual penetration and attempted rape. In a no contest plea, the defendant neither admits to nor disputes a charge.
Charges of first-degree sex abuse, second-degree sodomy, second-degree rape and private indecency were dismissed.
Schuster lived near the girl and her mother in Pier 38 RV Park. Deputy District Attorney Beau Peterson, the lead prosecutor for the state, said Schuster specifically targeted the family because the father was already in jail. He lured the girl with pets such as a bunny, Peterson said, groomed her and pounced when the time was right, sometime during spring break.
“I cannot be convinced that this is his first victim,” Peterson said. “I don’t think this is his first victim. I hope this will be his last.”
The girl and her mother, who now live in Nevada, traveled to Astoria to testify during sentencing.
“I trusted him as a grandpa,” the victim said. “He let me call him grandpa.”
The girl said Schuster should be in jail, and should get the death penalty.
Her mother said, “You took advantage of my daughter, and I’m very hurt and very, very angry.”
She said Schuster had told her daughter how he had touched and manipulated other girls. She said Schuster had even taken advantage of her daughter when she went to the hospital for a mental break related to the suicide of a cousin, adding that her daughter is still in counseling and on medication because of his actions.
Schuster made no comments during sentencing. His attorney, James McIntyre, said his client acknowledges what happened, but has real mental issues related to post-traumatic stress disorder from his military service in Vietnam.
“That doesn’t take away from what he did,” McIntyre said, offering the information instead as a reason for giving a lighter sentence.
“By saying something about it, you saved other people,” Circuit Court Judge Cindee Matyas said to the victim. “I’m convinced of that.”
Matyas said that while she appreciates Schuster taking responsibility for his actions, she also does not believe this is his first victim.
Schuster faced a minimum of 75 months in prison under Measure 11 sentencing requirements, and as much as 225 months. Peterson said he was pleased with the 65-month plea agreement, along with 47 months of post-prison supervision. It was unlikely Schuster would have received even 75 months in a trial, the prosecutor said, because of both the defendant’s age and his lack of a criminal history. He said the plea deal helped avoid the victim having to take the stand and relive her abuse.