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Florida Man Sentenced To Chemical Castration By Rhonda Erskine, 14 February, 2007 ST. AUGUSTINE: A St. Augustine, Florida man has been sentenced to chemical castration on top of a 25 year prison sentence. 60-year-old Dean Claude Odermatt pleaded no contest to having sexual activity with a child. "This is the worst I've ever seen as far as someone behaving toward a juvenile or minors," Assistant State Attorney Carlos Mendoza said. So the child would not have to testify or face Odermatt in court, the attorneys in the case made a deal. Odermatt would face 25 years in prison instead of the mandatory life sentence that comes with the charge. The chemical castration penalty was up to the judge to decide, and Circuit Judge Wendy Berger did just that. Mendoza and the State Attorney's office pushed for the chemical castration penalty because of Odermatt's alleged history of sexual crimes, especially with children. "In protecting those citizens, we have a responsibility to do things that aren't popular and aren't pleasant," Mendoza said.

"This guy rapes and sodomizes little kids and has done it for 30 years, so anything we can do to keep him from doing it in the future, we will have to do." In the penalty phase, the judge heard testimony from people who described Odermatt's sexual assaults. There were allegations of raping a five year old, showing pornography to children, molesting children, and even bestiality. A 1997 Florida state statute allows chemical castration. "If you've been convicted of a sexual battery and then you're convicted again the second time, chemical castration per the statute is mandatory," Mendoza said. "And for first time rapists or sexual batterers, it's up to the court's discretion." According to the statute, Odermatt will receive castration injections 90 days before he's released from prison. By that time he will be 85- years-old. Odermatt's attorney said his client has not mentioned appealing the ruling.

Source: http://www.wcsh6.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=52642