A former San Diego firefighter who pleaded guilty to a felony count of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor was sentenced Wednesday to one year in custody and two years probation and must register as a sex offender.
Justin Curtis Price, 36, formerly a fire engineer-paramedic who had been with the department for 10 years, pleaded guilty last year for the encounter with the teenage victim, who had turned 17 a few weeks prior.
Price, who had known her since she was 9 years old, was arrested about six months later.
His sentence includes 365 days in custody, which Price can serve in the work furlough program if he qualifies.
The original plea agreement was reached with the understanding that Price would be sentenced to five years probation, but recent changes to state law that went into effect Jan. 1 mean the maximum probationary period that could be imposed is two years.
Deputy District Attorney Jessica Coto read a statement from the victim, who said she had trusted Price “completely” at a particularly fragile period in her life when she was struggling with depression and anxiety.
“I’ve questioned asking him for support that day constantly,” she said.
The victim and her mother asked the court to impose the longest custodial sentence possible, as well as sex offender registration.
Price made a statement to the court in which he said he did not “deserve (the victim’s) forgiveness or trust, and I don’t expect you to forgive me. I was selfish and immature and all I can ever think of is how much I want to take it all back.”
Price said, “I know that I have to live with the consequences of my actions for the rest of my life. I know that I have destroyed my own reputation, betrayed the trust of my family, my parents and the community. I know that it will take a long time before anyone may even begin to trust me.”
— City News Service