Man who raped teen has prison sentence reduced
A Macomb County judge reduced a man’s sentence from life to 10-to-20 years in prison for raping a 14-year-old girl whom he met online.
Travis Duane Parkins, 36, who is serving time in prison, received the sentence Wednesday from circuit Judge James Maceroni af- ter the case’s first judge, Edward Servitto, maintained his life sentence a second time in May 2021. He had been ordered by the state Court of Appeals to resentence him because a life term was too far above the sentencing-guideline range, and the conclusion he did not provide good enough reason to depart upward.
Parkins was convicted by plea of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in 2018 for the 2017 incident. He has served seven years and now will be first eligible for parole in just over three years.
Parkins’ appellate attorney, Gabby Barber, said after the hearing the new term is reasonable.
“I think Mr. Parkins is very grateful to have a chance to be able to go home and be with his family and have another shot at living life a little bit differently, a little better,” Barber said.
A half-dozen members of Parkins’ family attended the hearing.
“His family is 100% behind him,” Barber said.
The victim in the case, who is now 21, declined to comment after the sentence but provided a written statement that was read in court by county Chief Victim Advocate Heather Morman.
“I was a child and had no idea as to what could take place in this world,” she said. “I still suffer from PTSD, anxiety and am still under a doctor’s care. I am still in (indecipherable) therapy. Because of my high anxiety, I have not been able to keep a job. My family has been struggling also, especially my grandmother.”
She said her grandmother also suffers from PTSD “and has flashbacks” of the incident in which the victim was missing for a time, she added, asking Maceroni to take into consideration her experience for her as well as “all vulnerable young girls.”
Parkins, meanwhile, appeared contrite and apologized to the victim, her grandparents and “everyone who has been affected by my thoughtless actions.”
“I know that my actions have caused physical, mental and emotional pain,” he said. “I understand sorry doesn’t begin to make up for the damage that I caused you all. I want you to know I am very sorry from the bottom of my heart. I heard your impact statement and am sorry you are still dealing with these effects.
“I pray (the victim) has been able to move past this experience and she is finding a way to heal.”
He said he is “doing everything I can to improve myself” so he can “become a contributing member of society.”
Maceroni’s sentence was toward the bottom of the sentencing guideline range of nine to 15 years in prison, after the original sentencing guideline range of four to seven years was increased following extensive legal arguments in court Wednesday. Maceroni noted Parkins has a “pretty exemplary” prison record, which “bodes well for the goal of rehabilitation.”
“I don’t think he stands as a threat to society,” he said.
In prison, he has had no misconduct violations and has held several jobs with increasing responsibility, although his opportunities have been somewhat limited by rules for those serving life, Barber said. He has just started efforts to obtain a general education degree.
Barber said he has no prior criminal record and is a “low risk” to offend again.
Parkins has a daughter and when released plans to reside in Grand Rapids with an aunt, she said.
Maceroni called the prior life sentence “inappropriate.”
In his explanation at the second sentencing in 2021, Servitto noted Parkins’ use of a computer to lure the victim and his encouragement of a co-defendant to rape the girl, as well as the age difference between Parkins and the victim, 29 and 14.
The incident occurred in May 2018 after Parkins contacted the girl via an internet web site and communicated via Skype. He and the victim discussed sex, and she provided him a partially nude photo. Parkins and his roommate, Peter Lindhout, traveled from their home in Ionia County to Warren to pick up the girl and drove her back to Ionia, located between Lansing and Grand Rapids. Parkins engaged in sexual acts with her. Lindhout accepted Parkins’ offer to have sex with the girl.
Lindhout, now 44, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct and was sentenced to five to 30 years in prison. He was released last May.
Parkins was initially charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, enticing a minor for immoral purposes and using a computer to commit a crime. He pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in exchange for dismissal of the other charges and counts.