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CASSOPOLIS — A Three Rivers man with two previous criminal sexual conduct convictions was sentenced to prison for molesting a seven year old girl in Newberg Township.

Duboyd Junior Allen, 74, of Three Rivers, pleaded guilty to second degree criminal sexual conduct against a child age 13 or younger and was sentenced to six to 15 years in prison with credit for 236 days served, $1,048, registering as a sex offender and lifetime GPS monitoring. He can have no contact with anyone under age 18.

The incidents occurred between May and June, 2022 at a location in Newberg Township and involved Allen giving candy to the child in exchange for her silence.

“This was a terrible act against a seven year old child,” Cass County Prosecutor Victor Fitz said. “Our focus is on the victim, this incident will stay with the child forever … This conviction will help the victim but it will never fully go away. It will always be in her memory and never disappear like a scar would.”

Defense attorney Nicholas Hogue asked for a shorter sentence given Allen’s age. “We ask you take into consideration his age and his acknowledgement of his wrongdoing, he took responsibility at an early stage of the case,” he said. “This could potentially be a life sentence for him due to his age.”

Allen apologized for his actions and said he was ashamed of what he had done.

Cass County Circuit Judge Mark Herman said he would have believed Allen’s statements about being ashamed of himself if it wasn’t his third time being convicted for actions against young children.

“Getting caught tends to have people play the ashamed game,” he said. “Actions speak louder than words. If you don’t want to go back to prison in the future it’s very simple, keep your hands out of the candy jar and little children’s pants … You’re ashamed and you should be, but are you sorry? I’m not sure.”