Boone Sentenced For Molesting Girl He Made ‘Agreement’ With Girl For Her To Be His Sex Servant

Thomas Boone will spend at least five years in prison for sexually molesting a 10-year-old girl.

Boone, who ran for mayor last fall, was convicted of sexual abuse of a child, a crime that carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

He was arrested a day before the city elections.

Boone had made a three-year “agreement” with the girl when she was seven years old that she would be his sexual servant, according to a presentence report discussed during Friday’s sentencing.

First District Court Judge James Michaud said the agreement and the fact that Boone had prior victims contributed to the sentence, which followed Bonner County Prosecutor Phil Robinson’s recommendations.

“You have a long history of sexual victimization,” Michaud said before handing down the sentence. “It needs to be clearly demonstrated to you that a 7-year-old is not capable of making an agreement as a sexual servant.”

Robinson said the sentence was justified because of Boone’s “deplorable” rationalizations for the sexual abuse, including the so-called agreement, his love for the girl, his own troubled upbringing and so on.

“He has no insight into the magnitude of what he has done,” Robinson said. “I hope the sentence will be sufficient that he will have no access to (the victim) again.”

The sentencing was originally scheduled for Monday, when the victim, now 11, made the unusual move to testify before Michaud. She asked the judge to put Boone away for life because he was “crazy and mean.”

Boone made a lengthy statement to Michaud, begging for mercy. He vowed to find help or a “cure” for his problem, but said he needed to work to support his family.

“We’re going to lose everything if I can’t find a way to get out and work,” he said. “There is no hope for me and my family as long as I am there (in prison).”

He promised not to “raise a hand to anyone again.”

At the time of his arrest, Boone was a newspaper carrier, but required his two children to rise before dawn to help deliver the papers before school. During his campaign, he said his family could deliver the papers if his mayoral duties were more pressing.

As Boone was led away, he passed his wife, Carol Boone, in the hall and said, “I’m sorry. Come see me lots.”

His wife, who has filed for divorce, didn’t answer. When he was out of earshot, she said she was glad for the sentence.

“How can I go see him after what he’s done?” she asked. “And the good news is, I got a job. … I don’t need him to support me.”

Boone was originally charged with lewd and lascivious conduct, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. He pled guilty in exchange for the lesser charge.

Michaud reminded him of that at his sentencing.

“Prior to ever coming to be sentenced here, the prosecuting attorney for various reasons … was willing to extend leniency,” Michaud said. “This was a case that would not have been difficult to prove. Don’t ever forget that leniency.”