Man sentenced after committing sex act in front of sleeping stepdaughter

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. — A Palm Coast man was sentenced after he was found guilty of committing a sex act in front of his sleeping step-daughter.

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An investigation found that in July 2021, James Harris, 61, went into his stepdaughter’s room while naked and began to inappropriately touch himself while she pretended to sleep.

The girl’s father told investigators that his daughter captured the incident on her phone.

Harris, 61, pleaded guilty to attempted lewd and lascivious battery on a person under 12, lewd and lascivious battery of a victim older than 12 younger than 16, and lewd and lascivious molestation of a person over 12.

He was sentenced to 15 years for each count, which will be served concurrently. He will also serve 15 years of probation.

Harris is also required to be a registered sex offender for life.

“I hope this sentencing can bring some closure to the victim and her family,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “I want to again thank our major case unit for all of their hard work in analyzing the evidence that made this conviction and sentence possible. I thank the judge for handing down a tough sentence to this disgusting person. This should also be a warning to sex offenders that if you take a child’s innocence away and abuse them, we will get you and you will go to prison for a very long time!”

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