A rural Hollandale man convicted of sexually abusing two young girls was sentenced to nearly 15 years in prison Wednesday.

Friday, May 11, 2001

A rural Hollandale man convicted of sexually abusing two young girls was sentenced to nearly 15 years in prison Wednesday.

Steven Craig Besco, 44, of Route 1, Box 124B, Hollandale, was sentenced to 136 months in prison for first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and 42 months in prison for fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct. The third-district judge ordered Besco to serve 10 years of conditional release upon completion of his sentence.

&uot;The defendant’s crime was part of a predatory pattern of behavior that had criminal sexual conduct as its goal,&uot; The judge wrote in Besco’s sentencing order. &uot;That defendant is a danger to public safety, and that defendant needs long-term treatment or supervision beyond the presumptive term of imprisonment and supervised release.&uot;

&uot;There is a significant lack of remorse on behalf of the defendant,&uot; the judge wrote. &uot;There is a significant impact on the victims.&uot;

Besco repeatedly initiated sexual contact with two juvenile girls, one under the age of 13, over a period of about four years. He had previously been convicted of first-degree criminal sexual contact in July 1991, according to court records.

A jury found Besco guilty on March 8.