A Fort Wayne man has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after reaching a plea deal in a child molesting case.
A 36-year-old man named Christopher Shaffner Jr. has been charged with six felony counts, including child molesting and vicarious sexual gratification. According to online court records, Shaffner initially faced a potential prison sentence of up to 160 years before ultimately agreeing to a plea deal on May 31.
The agreement dropped four counts of child molesting and the single charge of vicarious sexual gratification.
On Friday, Allen Superior Court Judge Fran Gull delivered a 14-year sentence to Shaffner, along with a no-contact order.
A young girl bravely came forward to her school to report the abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend. According to a probable cause affidavit written by Fort Wayne Police Officer Michelle Brown, the reported abuse took place in 2021 when the girl was 12 years old.
According to the affidavit, the girl mentioned that she was in the middle of showering when Shaffner instructed her to allow him access to the bathroom. Upon gaining access, Shaffner reportedly proceeded to secretly film the girl while she was unclothed, followed by committing a sexual assault against her.
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The child informed the authorities that the individual in question initially made a threat to share the video, but subsequently removed it.
The victim informed her mother about the incident, stating that Shaffner had coerced her into engaging in inappropriate touching at the age of 8. However, her mother dismissed it as a mere dream as per JournalGazette.
In addition, the victim reported that Shaffner had sexually assaulted her in January 2021. Afterward, he escorted her to a bathroom and proceeded to cleanse her in order to remove any DNA traces, as stated in the affidavit.
According to jail records, Shaffner has been held at the Allen County Jail without bond since his arrest on October 10, 2023. According to online court records, he will be serving his sentence at a facility operated by the Indiana Department of Correction.