PERSISTENT SEXUAL OFFENDER SENTENCED

02/19/2009
PRESS RELEASE RELEASE DATE: 02/19/09 CONTACT INFO: Charles Branson Douglas County District Attorney 785-841-0211 cbranson@douglas-county.com PERSISTENT SEXUAL OFFENDER SENTENCED Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announces Robert C. Peterson, 64, who plead no contest to the attempted sexual exploitation of a child on April 9, 2008 was sentenced today in Douglas County District Court. The Honorable Paula B. Martin sentenced Peterson to 52 months in prison. He is now deemed a persistent sexual offender and will be subject to lifetime supervision and registration. The case developed when the Lawrence Police Department was called on August 18, 2006 to an area business by the Director of Human Resources. Business managers for the company became alarmed when Peterson's co-workers reported they saw him viewing child pornography while logged onto his work computer. Peterson did not realize images from his monitor were reflecting onto a glass surface behind him. Branson stated, "Lawrence Police Department Detectives did an incredible job in their forensic examination of Mr. Peterson's work computer. Their work insured we could send this man away." Mr. Peterson will serve his sentence in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections. -30-

Media Contact:
Cheryl L. Wright-Assistant to the District Attorney
District Attorney's Office
784-841-0211
cwright@douglas-county.com