A 39-year-old New Carrolton man was sentenced to the maximum 25 years in prison on Tuesday after he was found guilty last year of sexually abusing a minor.
On Nov. 6, 2015, Donald McCoy Stancell Jr. was accused by a 17-year-old girl of sex abuse. After DNA results were returned to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Stancell was charged with second-degree rape, second-degree sex offense, third-degree sex offense and other charges on Jan. 21, 2016.
When Stancell’s case was forwarded to circuit court in March 2016, his charges were altered to four counts of sex abuse to a minor, three counts of third-degree sex offense, fourth-degree sex offense and second-degree assault.
Stancell had two trials involving this case result in mistrials. His final trial was in November 2017, where the jury found him guilty of sex abuse of a minor after deliberating for only 15 minutes.
During the trial, the teenager testified that Stancell had been sexually abusing her for years. She stated that he would have her perform sexual favors in exchange for lifted punishments and luxury items.
Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Freeman used evidence that Stancell’s DNA was found on the crotch area of the girl’s underwear to prove her case.
Representing Stancell, attorney Thomas C. Mooney argued that the teenager was getting revenge on Stancell with false accusations.
During the sentencing, Freeman reviewed the incident which lead to his convictions.
“Mr. Stancell was the person who was supposed to build [the victim] up, not tear her down,” Freeman told the court.
She mentioned the “layers of harm” that Stancell had put on the victim. Freeman told the court that this was not an isolated event; it was repeated, and that the state asked for the sentence to be above the guidelines.
The the victim’s mother spoke to the court during the sentence hearing. She told the court that during the victim’s abuse she aborted a pregnancy, in fear that it was Stancell’s. She said that her children have to be in counseling.
“I cannot sleep without medication. I have this crazy fear that someone is going to harm my children,” the victim’s mother said.
The victim also shared her impact statement with the court.
“What you did to me for four years, I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy,” she said.
The victim also referred to herself as feeling like a “sex puppet” during her time of abuse. She mentioned her attempts of suicide during that time as well.
“I hope justice continues to serve you because the scar you left is now tattooed,” the victim said, referring to Stancell.
Mooney told the court that before these allegations, Stancell was a paid firefighter in Prince George’s County and that he suffered from trauma he had experienced on the job, which led him to use alcohol.
Stancell’s sister and father spoke to the court about Stancell growing up in church and being a “hero” as a firefighter.
After listening to the state and the defense, Circuit Court Judge Amy J. Bragunier gave Stancell the maximum sentence of 25 years incarceration.
“You’ve had a lot of people fooled to hide your double life … your disgusting, double life,” Bragunier said.
“You’ve seen a lot of the worst in society, but you’ve also been the worst,” she said. “You gave [the victim] a life sentence. You destroyed a soul,” Bragunier said to Stancell.
Earlier in the sentencing, Stancell pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography, which was found on his laptop during the investigation of the victim’s accusations. He will serve five years for each count, which will run consecutively with the 25 years, with five years of probation upon release.
Originally Posted on Maryland Independent:
http://www.somdnews.com/independent/crime_and_courts/man-given-maximum-sentence-for-child-sex-abuse/article_5f8fd868-1e10-5bdb-b317-6ebae7bad00f.html