Harris gets prison term for molesting girl
By LAURIA LYNCH-GERMAN
of the Journal Sentinel staff
Last Updated: Oct. 22, 2001
West Bend - A former West Bend alderman was sentenced to 12 years in prison Monday after he admitted to molesting a girl.
Mark Harris, 44, struggled with his words during a statement to Washington County Circuit Judge Annette Ziegler.
"I did some very bad things, I damaged a child," Harris said. "I, Mark Harris, molested . . . words, words fail me."
Harris was found guilty of one count of repeated sexual assault of
the same child after a two-year series of events that involved indecent
touching and showing pornography to the girl. He could have faced 60
years in prison.
She was 11 when the molestation began and was 13 when she told a school liaison officer about the events earlier this year.
The girl's father also spoke at the sentencing.
"Did he have a moral compass? Did he act with a conscience?" he
asked. "Did he abide by the laws? No. It wasn't one time. He did it
over and over and over."
Two of Harris' brothers and three friends spoke on his behalf,
presenting him as a good military man, a churchgoer and a provider for
his family. One brother called Harris' actions an aberration.
Assistant District Attorney Holly Bunch said Harris was a predator
and ridiculed an earlier statement from Harris that the incidents were
unintentional.
"It cannot be argued with a straight face that it was accidental," she said.
She said the victim still has nightmares.
Deborah Strigenz, Harris' attorney, said her client had waived his
preliminary hearing and right to a trial to spare the girl the trauma
of testifying.
"He is very remorseful; he is taking responsibility for his actions," she said.
After Harris completes the 12-year prison sentence, he will be under
the supervision of the Department of Corrections for 18 years.
Harris was an alderman representing the 8th District from 1998 to
2001. He was appointed to the Common Council after an alderman who
represented the district moved from the area. Harris ran successfully
for a full term. But he failed to file papers for re-election on time
and did not run in the last election.
Appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Oct. 23, 2001.
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