Man gets prison time for abusing granddaughters

LAS VEGAS - The grandfather of two Las Vegas girls who were sold into sexual servitude by their parents has been sentenced to at least two years in prison for sexually abusing the girls.

Joseph Meisner, 73, begged District Judge John McGroarty Tuesday to give him probation, saying a prison sentence would be a death sentence for him because of his ill health.

''The only thing I can say is I'm very, very sorry and I know it was dumb,'' Meisner said. ''I'm not educated ...''

McGroarty instead sentenced Meisner to two years to five years in prison, telling him that he gave his granddaughters a life sentence.

Meisner is the fourth person convicted and sentenced in the case.

In April, a 15-year-old girl reported that Donald Dustman, a family friend, had been sexually abusing and taking pornographic pictures and videos of her for six years.

Police learned that the girl's parents had been accepting $1,500 a month from Dustman for years so he could have access to the girl, her 18-year-old stepsister and a 15-year-old cousin who was being raised in the home.

Police also learned that the father had been sexually abusing the 18-year-old and that Meisner had been sexually abusing two of the girls.

Dustman, the parents and Meisner all took deals in the case. Dustman was sentenced to life in prison with parole possible after 20 years. The father received two 20-year terms and the mother received 14 years.