Man gets 120 years to life in prison for sexually assaulting two girls
Published on September 28, 2021
GREELEY, Colo. (Weld County D.A.) – A Weld County judge sentenced a Greeley man last week to more than a century behind bars.
On Thursday, Weld County District Court Judge Timothy Kerns sentenced Christipher Shafer, 48, to 120 years to life in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
In June, a jury convicted the defendant of five counts of sexual assault on a child: position of trust – victim less than 15 and as part of a pattern of abuse. Judge Kerns sentenced the defendant to the maximum range of 24 years to life in prison for each count. He also ordered that the sentences be served consecutively.
“The court will not allow any child to ever be the victims of the hands of Mr. Shafer ever again,” Judge Kerns said during the sentencing hearing.
The defendant was found guilty of sexually assaulting two young girls for several years, beginning in 2016. The assaults started happening when the youngest victim was seven years old and the oldest victim was nine years old. The victims came forward in 2018 after two years of consistently being sexually assaulted.
In addition to sexually assaulting the victims, they said he would also have them watch porn with him. When they wouldn’t let him touch them in an inappropriate way, he would smack them in the head.
“I have no doubt that the defendant’s family never saw the side of him that victims in this case saw,” Deputy District Attorney Yvette Guthrie said. “Mr. Shafer is extremely manipulative like all sex offenders are. Both of these girls demonstrated extraordinary courage to come to court and testify against the man who molested them, seated only steps away from them. Neither of these girls should have ever had to explain to a jury the humiliating and disgusting things he did to them.”
During the emotional sentencing hearing, Judge Kerns told the victims that they were bold in the face of evil and were extremely brave in their search for justice.
“My hope for you girls is that you recognize that you have the ability to do and become whoever you wish to be in life,” Judge Kerns said. “I view you girls as survivors and extremely strong young women.”
Deputy District Attorney Yvette Guthrie prosecuted this case.