A confessed child rapist whose actions terrorized a Salt Lake County neighborhood for three months could spend the next three decades behind bars.
Before sentencing Roger Mast to prison, 3rd District Judge Anne Boyden told the Sandy man "this is as horrendous a case as I have seen."Mast, 49, confessed to abducting and sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl walking to school last fall and attempting to kidnap a 7-year-old girl on Jan. 14.
Prosecutors charged him with sexual abuse of a child and attempted child kidnapping, second-degree felonies.
Boyden ordered that both terms be served consecutively, which means Mast could spend up to 30 years in prison.
"I want to apologize to the victims and the victims' parents," said an emotional Mast at Wednesday's sentencing.
Mast said his actions have left him very remorseful, adding, "I hope these kids can get on with their lives."
The Sandy man told the judge he wants treatment and spoke of his honorable military service and civic involvement in Scouting and little league sports.
"I'm sorry this has all happened," he said.
Boyden told Mast he must take full responsibility for the crimes without finding excuses or blaming others.
"I do not see any evidence you are accepting responsibility," said Boyden, adding that Mast must begin to empathize with his victims and understand the damage he's done.
Mast agreed with the sentence "so (his) victims can understand that their days of fear of this man are over," defense attorney Ron Yengich said.
Yengich said his client's admission of guilt is the first step to accepting responsibility, adding the prison sentence will allow Mast to get some treatment.
Family members of the victims did not speak Wednesday.
Last November, police spent weeks looking for a man who abducted and brutally sexually assaulted the 9-year-old girl who had been walking in the 1500 East block of Vine Street.
Several witnesses identified the truck the man had been driving, a dark green Ford pickup with a matching camper shell.
On Jan. 14, Karen Travis interrupted the abduction attempt of the 7-year-old girl as she walked to Edgemont Elementary School, 9800 South and 1200 East.
Seeing Travis approach, the would-be kidnapper sped away in a dark green pickup. But Travis scribbled down his license plate number. Police traced it to Mast and arrested him Jan. 17.
He later confessed to both incidents.
After Wednesday's sentencing, Travis said she's still haunted by what might have happened had she not been at the right place, at the right time.
"I've thought every day of my life `what if?' " she said.
Travis said she does not wish Mast harm but is relieved he received the maximum prison sentence for his crimes.
"I don't think other people are safe without him behind bars," Travis said.