A 42-year-old man who took two underage sisters to California in 2008 and had sex with the 15-year-old was sentenced Tuesday to four years in Nevada State Prison.
"My biggest regret is that I can't send you to prison for longer," said District Judge Dave Gamble in sentencing 42-year-old Jeffrey Alan Palmer.
Palmer was returned to Douglas County in January after serving a year in prison in California for lewd acts upon a child where the defendant is more than 10 years older than the victim.
He admitted having sex with the 15-year-old in Douglas County before he drove her and her 13-year-old sister to California in 2008.
The two Gardnerville Ranchos girls were reported missing from their home by their mother on Aug. 17, 2008. They were located the next day in a Manteca, Calif., motel room along with Palmer and a 16-year-old boy.
Palmer was taken into custody, but the girls and the boy escaped from the safe house where they were being kept before their parents could arrive. That led to a four-day search with leads as far away as Las Vegas, before the teens were picked up in Winnemucca by members of their church and brought home.
Palmer admitted having sex with the 15-year-old girl between May and August 2008 in Douglas County.
He pleaded guilty to attempted statutory sexual seduction.
The victim's father testified Tuesday that it was difficult to tell the judge how much his daughters meant to him.
He said Palmer befriended his daughter and bought her alcohol and cigarettes.
"It amazes me that people out here in this community do this stuff," the man said. "He took my daughters to California. He was naked and had sex with my 15-year-old in front of the 13-year-old. It's almost like pornography. He knows better."
Palmer apologized to the family.
"It was stupid on my part and very unbecoming," he said. "I hope they forgive me. I am not a threat. I would like to have a chance at getting my life back like them. I've been to prison and it was not fun."
In a letter to Gamble, Palmer said he was "a good person who has made a terrible mistake, and I am very sorry."
"I am not a monster or a violent person, nor am I a dangerous person," Palmer wrote. "What I can tell you that I am, your honor, is a father, a brother, an uncle, a friend and a son."
Attorney Kris Brown asked that Palmer be placed on probation with a five-year suspended sentence.
"He has been in custody for 20 months, in California and in Douglas County. He has received a substantial amount of punishment for the consequences of what he did," Brown said.
She said the victims and community would be better served by having Palmer on intensive supervision on probation.
"He has done prison time, he knows that is a threat to him if he didn't comply," Brown said.
She said her client had a supportive network of family and friends.
Prosecutor Laurie Trotter said Palmer deserved to be punished for the crime he committed in Douglas County as well as California.
"This crime had a profound effect on the victim," she said.
Trotter also pointed out that Palmer has "a long history of violent crimes against women."
Gamble sentenced Palmer to four years in prison with a minimum parole eligibility of 19 months.
He was given credit for 111 days in custody.
Gamble also ordered him to pay $7,000 restitution, $290 for extradition, $500 for attorney's fees and $1,202.50 for a psychosexual evaluation.
"I can't tell you how little I care about you getting your life back," Gamble said. "You are the guilty party. You created the situation. Every single one of the eight or nine criminal entries with you all have to do with threats, power, control or sexual violence."
