(Dmytro “Henry” Aleksandrov, Headline USA) A former school teacher was sentenced to 50 years in prison after he sexually assaulted a 7-year-old boy repeatedly and tried to kill both him and his mother.
Deonte Taylor, 39, was sentenced to “15 years each for three counts of first-degree statutory sodomy,” the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said in a KSDK article.
Taylor also knew that he had AIDS at the time of his assaults, and, therefore, exposed the boy to the disease by assaulting him, authorities said, according to the Post Millennial. Due to this information, he was sentenced to another five years in prison.
The crimes reportedly occurred on November 13, 2015, in his Lusher Elementary School office. Investigators found his DNA on the boy and in his underwear.
The sentences will run consecutively.
Taylor was also sentenced to five years each on both counts of conspiracy to murder a boy and his mother after he pleaded guilty at a sentencing hearing. The sentences will run consecutive and concurrent to the 50 years of his other crimes.
The reason why Taylor wanted to kill the victim and his mother was to “keep them quiet about the abuse,” according to the prosecuting attorney’s office, KSDK reported.
John White, a person who accepted $20,000 from Taylor and a man named Michael Johnson to commit murder, was present at the sentencing hearing. However, instead of completing his job, he went to the police to tell them about the plan.
When White was asked why he took the job, he said that he had no intentions to go through with it.
“I could see how serious he was,” he said in 2021. “And if he didn’t get me to do it, he was going to get somebody else. And maybe that next person would’ve done it. So I think I did the right thing.”
In a release announcing charges, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell made a final comment about the case.
“At every stage of this case there were many individuals involved in bringing this case to justice and also keeping these victims safe – not only in our office and law enforcement, but also concerned citizens,” Bell said.
“These were despicable acts committed against an innocent child who was placed in this predator’s care, followed by the cowardly and cruel effort to have the victim and his mother killed.”
“Now that this predator stands convicted of all charges, I hope the victim and this family find closure and healing,” he concluded.
