HELENA — Renee Mills of Helena was sentenced on Monday for the rape and molestation of a child.
Judge Kathy Seeley sentenced Mills to 40 years in the Montana Women’s Prison, with 10 of the years suspended.
“This is a very, very serious crime that has caused very serious harm to the victim,” said Seeley. “I note in the psychosexual [evaluation] that she still struggles in taking accountability and I’m not satisfied that she really understands the havoc that she has wreaked."
Mills, 39 years old, gave an “Alford plea” to the charges of felony sexual intercourse without consent and one felony count of sexual assault involving a child under the age of 16.
An Alford plea isn't an admission of guilt, but an acknowledgment that if the case went to trial there is likely enough evidence to convict.
Court documents reported two separate incidents of rape or sexually assaulting a minor in early 2014.
The victim spoke at the sentencing and emotionally told the court they can’t wait for Mills to go to prison.
Mills will register as a Tier 1 sexual offender and must complete all levels of sexual offender treatment before she could be eligible for parole.
During the sentencing the defense stated Mills was a victim herself, having suffered similar significant trauma at a young age and lost everything in the process of this case.
