Man gets 30 years for sodomy of 2-year-old, says he'll 'fight this for the rest of my life'

Travis Sintell Turner, 34, of Cape Girardeau on Tuesday was sentenced in Scott County Circuit Court to 30 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for sodomy with a toddler.

Turner was convicted of felony statutory sodomy Nov. 4; a jury found Turner convinced his 2-year-old daughter to perform a sex act on him in 2012.

Judge David Dolan said during a hearing a consideration for the long sentence -- equivalent to a life sentence in Missouri -- was a concern for public safety.

The mother of victim spoke at the sentencing.

"I would call you an animal, but an animal has the basic instinct to protect their young. Was I so naive that I was living with a pedophile all along?" she said to Turner. "The only good thing is that they don't have many memories tainted by you. You weren't a human wearing the mask of a monster; you were a monster occasionally wearing the mask of a human. I'm asking for the maximum sentence possible, because the only thing more dangerous than a dead-eyed pedophile is one who can convince you he's human."

Turner spoke at the sentencing, saying he was wrongly convicted.

"Regardless of what has been said about me, 110 percent of it is not true," he said. "When all of this is said and done, I will fight this for the rest of my life."

Assistant public defender Amanda Altman said the victim's mother was angry with Turner for cheating on her, and their relationship was tumultuous.

Altman added the mother had told Turner's brother she did not believe the victim was accurate in her statements.

The brother declined to testify Friday, and Turner declined to testify during the trial.

"I feel the jurors made a mistake. Life is supposed to reserved for the most heinous cases," Altman said. "Travis did not testify. If he had, he would have told everyone he was not guilty of this charge."

Altman argued for probation and the minimum sentence of 10 years.

"Since at a sentencing we have to assume the jury was right, let's look at the facts," Altman said. "This was a one-time occurrence. He will not be able to see his children. He will be a registered sex offender for life."

Assistant prosecuting attorney Tabatha Blakely countered the state offered Turner a plea agreement for 15 years in prison.

Dolan also dismissed a motion from the defense for a new trial and found Turner had adequate representation. Turner stated he was assigned three attorneys from the public defender's office over the course of the case.

"I've been flip-flopping through public defenders," he said.

Altman and assistant public defender Travis Bargeon said Turner will file for an appeal, but it will not be handled by their office.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address: 131 S. Winchester St., Benton, Mo.