A Prince George鈥檚 County, Maryland, man has been sentenced to more than a century in prison after he was convicted of sexually abusing four young girls, including his own daughter, decades ago, and prosecutors believe there may be other victims out there.
A 165-year prison sentence was handed down by a judge at Prince George’s County Circuit Court on Thursday after a jury convicted 60-year-old Cleophus Canton of second-degree child abuse, rape and sex offenses earlier this year tied to sexual abuse spanning from the late 1990s through about 2008.
鈥淗e was held accountable,鈥� Prince George鈥檚 County State鈥檚 Attorney Tara Jackson said. “Sexual assault is a deeply personal crime that profoundly impacts its victims, usually resulting in long-term emotional and physical impacts.鈥�
Though the assaults happened about 25 years ago, Jackson said those victims began coming forward more in recent years.
“After 25 years, I decided to take my abuser to court because I was speaking up for the child in me, the child that wasn’t seen, the teenager that wasn’t heard,鈥� Brittany Simms said.
She said after decades, she was not sure if the day would come when she would see justice.
鈥淚t feels like I’m dreaming. I’m still shaking. It just feels like a dream that I’m living. It’s amazing, amazing,鈥� Simms said. “I feel so free.”
Simms said the abuse took place while her mother was in a relationship with Canton. Simms鈥� cousin, Shawntia Simms, was also abused by Canton and said they confronted their parents when they were younger.
“Me and my cousin Brittany, we actually told our parents at 13. We told them, and nothing changed. Mr. Canton was still living in the home with Brittany. Again, I was in Atlanta, but when we would come to family events, holidays, he was still there,鈥� Shawntia said.
Prosecutors and the victims believe there are others out there who have been victimized by Canton, and they are urging those people to come forward.
“If there are any more victims out there, please come forward. Please. You guys have reached out to us on Facebook, Instagram, just please come forward, because you’ll get justice just like we did,鈥� Keisha Spencer, another one of the victims, said.
Shawntia had a message to anyone still afraid to report the crime.
“Please, please, please, speak up. If you are going through anything that’s heavy on you, you feel like nobody is going to listen,鈥� Shawntia said. “The team is here. 鈥� They’re going to get justice for you.”
State鈥檚 Attorney Jackson said there is another case pending against Canton, and her team stands ready to help other victims.
鈥淚f there are any victims, whether it’s Mr. Canton or someone else, anyone who’s a victim, we encourage them 鈥� a victim of sex abuse, especially child sex abuse, but any type of sex abuse 鈥� please contact the police department so that you can be heard,鈥� Jackson said.
According to court records, Canton pleaded not guilty to the charges, and he is appealing the outcome of the case.
Anyone looking to come forward can contact the Prince George鈥檚 County State鈥檚 Attorney鈥檚 Office at 301-952-3500 or Prince George鈥檚 County Police at 301-352-1200.
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