Ventura Man Gets 21 Years in Attack on Girl, 14

A Ventura man who tried to murder a 14-year-old girl after raping her last April has been sentenced to 21 years in state prison, as his young, traumatized victim wept in the rear of the courtroom.

The girl was scheduled to testify Monday about her ongoing trauma, but was too shaken to do so, her mother said.

Instead, the mother addressed the court and asked Judge Lawrence Storch to sentence Carter to the maximum of 25 years for the “unspeakable crime” committed against her daughter.

“She will wake in the middle of the night because she still sees his face and hears his breathing,” the woman said, imploring the judge to “put this sick, evil person away for the maximum time.”

But Deputy Public Defender Gary Windom asked Storch to set a term of 17 years.

Windom told Storch that his client has a mental defect. He also said Carter pleaded guilty in the early stages of the case to prevent the victim from having to testify at a trial.

But Deputy Dist. Atty. Patrice D. Koenig said Carter had already gotten a break when prosecutors allowed him to plead to attempted murder and rape in exchange for dropping another sexual assault charge.

The judge said the court viewed Carter’s actions as egregious and sentenced him to the 21 years.

Carter, who was dating a relative of the victim, attacked the girl after taking her home from a party April 21.

Outside the courtroom Monday, the mother said that family members are relieved to have the case behind them, but that she wanted Carter to sentenced to the extra four years allowable under law.

“I’m glad he got 21 years, but I wish he would have gotten more,” she said. She said her daughter, whose grades have dropped in school, will undergo psychological counseling.