Stepfather’s Term At Least 89 Years

A man who sexually assaulted his four stepdaughters was sentenced Monday to at least 89 years in prison.

James Malina Jr., 59, of Ames, implored the judge to “have a heart,” then lowered his head when the sentence was read. He was given 20 to 40 years in prison for each of four first-degree sexual assault convictions.

Malina, who maintained his innocence, also was sentenced to 4-1/2 to five years behind bars for each of two counts of child abuse.

Two twin girls cried in court as they testified in June that Malina beat them and forced them to have oral sex with him in 1995, when they were 10. Two other daughters, then 11 and 8, testified that Malina forced them to perform sex acts with him.