Man sentenced to 11 years on sex charges
Published 12:00 am Tuesday, November 29, 2005
A Chesapeake man who snapped dozens of provocative photographs of two teenage girls last year will spend 11 years in prison.
Suffolk Circuit Court Judge Westbrook Parker on Monday sentenced James Edward Haidle, 39, to six months each for 50 charges of producing child pornography and five years each on four counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor.
He suspended all but 11 years.
Haidle, who was living in Suffolk when the incident occurred, was arrested early this year, several months after taking the sexually-explicit pictures of the 16-year-old girls on two separate occasions, according to past court testimony. He also had sexual relations with one of the girls, telling her the experience was part of a religious initiation.
“What he did to the psyche of these girls is incalculable,” said Parker. “But what bothers me the most is his attitude about all matters sexual.”
Comments Haidle made during pre-sentencing evaluations indicate a sexual inadequacy or a lack of concern for other folks, he added.
Prosecutor Marie Walls asked the courts to sentence Haidle to 20 active years in prison, saying he needs to be held accountable for his actions.
“This was not a momentary lapse of judgment,” Walls said. “ … Of the three people involved in last summer’s event, he had the most responsibility. He was the adult.
“He has not said he was sorry for what he did … and he does not know appropriate boundaries. He doesn’t get it.”
Both Haidle and his attorney, Robert Wegman, asked for the court’s mercy.
The incident happened after the two girls began discussing their desire to take nude photographs of themselves for their respective boyfriends, Wegman said. One of the boyfriends wanted pictures of the two girls together, so Haidle offered to take the photographs, Wegman added.
He took the pictures and gave the girls the only copies, without keeping one for himself, Wegman added.
“This man made a very stupid decision, a dumb mistake,” Wegman said. “The girls played an active role, … maybe they could have been charged.
“He failed miserably at taking responsibility for his actions.”
Moments before he was sentenced, Haidle publicly apologized to his victims and family.
“I know I have boundary issues and I am eagerly looking forward to receiving help,” Haidle said. “I behaved irresponsibly because I was the adult and I am very remorseful.”
Haidle is currently serving 29 months in prison for several unrelated sexual misconduct charges in Chesapeake.