Alan Lee Huff
Leonardtown, MD — A Leonardtown man has been sentenced to life in prison for second-degree sex offense against his two girls, who were aged five and six at the time. St. Mary’s County Circuit Court Judge Karen Abrams sentenced Alan Huff, 40, during a Nov. 23 hearing.
Huff pled guilty to the one charge of second-degree sex offense from a 10-count indictment that included child pornography. Thus all that it was left to do for Judge Abrams was impose the sentence. State law allows a sentence of 15 years to life in prison for the offense. State sentencing guidelines, which include consideration of the offender’s record, called for 15-18 years in prison.
State’s Attorney Richard Fritz argued for the life sentence. “This man should not be allowed to walk the streets,” he said.
Huff’s wife and the mother of the two girls also testified her preference for life in prison “for the things he did to my children.” She talked about the daily impact of the actions on her two daughters and the requirement for ongoing therapy.
But Huff’s attorney, Managing Assistant Public Defender Matthew Connell, argued for something less than life and more within the guidelines because of his client’s non-record, troubled childhood, admission of guilt and remorse “He admits he committed these offenses and that they are horrible,” the attorney said.
Huff told the judge, “There are no adequate words to express my regret at what I have done.”
Judge Abrams said the nature of the crime had enough factors to allow her to go above the state guidelines in sentencing Huff to life in prison, as the state had requested.
Huff, who was an engineer for the U.S. Navy at Dahlgren, VA, was arrested in March of this year by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded to St. Mary’s Hospital for a reported sexual offense on a five-year-old girl. The investigation uncovered allegations that Huff had sexual relations with the six year old girl and videotaped it and also videotaped the six-year-old engaged in a sex act with the five-year-old.
Prior to working for the Navy, Huff had reportedly worked for contractors at St. Inigoes and Dahlgren. He was originally released on $150,000 bond by the court commissioner, but after a flurry of criticism the bond was quickly revoked and he has been in jail ever since.
Contact Dick Myers at dick.myers@thebaynet.com
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