Local News in Brief : 66-Year-Old Gets 8-Year Term for Molestation

Ajudge Tuesday sentenced a 66-year-old North Hollywood man to the maximum of eight years in prison for molesting an 11-year-old Orange County boy he took on an overnight trip to Magic Mountain.

Charles Early Rogers pleaded no contest in July to a charge of committing a lewd act on a child under 14, waiving his right to a preliminary hearing. He could have been sentenced to only three years.

However, at his sentencing in Van Nuys Superior Court, Judge Alan B. Haber said he felt compelled to issue the maximum sentence in spite of Roger’s early admission of guilt and his expressions of remorse. Both factors can be taken into consideration in the reduction of a sentence.

According to a probation report, Rogers has a history of sexual crimes against young boys that began in 1947. The report said Rogers was arrested five times through 1949 and served about four years in state prison after being convicted of child molestation.

Rogers’ only other arrest was in 1970, for lewd conduct in public, but probation officer Tom Le Valley said Rogers admitted to “victimizing” at least 50 children.

Rogers was arrested early this year when an Orange County boy, after seeing a TV show on child molestation, told his mother that Rogers had done the things described in the program.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Albert W. Feldman said the Orange County district attorney is preparing to file more child molestation charges against Rogers in another case.