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His crime is a stain upon law enforcement, and his sentence is insufficient

It's too bad that Judge Daniel Hebert didn't have a more severe option on Monday when he sentenced former Saline County corrections officer Eric Taylor, 28, of Bridgeport.

Taylor was convicted in March by a Saline County District Court jury of three felony counts of unlawful sexual relations.

Three former women inmates at the Saline County Jail testified that in 2008 Taylor encouraged them to back up to the cell door so he could reach through and fondle their breasts.

The women said they feared retaliation from jail staff or loss of privileges if they reported Taylor or refused his advances. Taylor was fired for violating in-house policies and procedures.

His attorney said it's likely that he'll appeal the conviction.

What makes this crime particularly serious is the vulnerability of the inmates, who were in the care of the county and its correction officers.

Hebert called Taylor's actions degrading to the women and the law enforcement profession and an "intolerable violation of public trust."

So, he threw the book at him. And a very small book it was, too, by our reckoning and Hebert's.

As part of his sentence, Taylor, who had no criminal record, has to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years. There was more, but unless he violates his probation, no jail time.

Incarceration, among other things, allows us to punish someone. But that punishment has to be proportional. Was the sentence fair compared with other sentences?

If we believe someone got off lightly compared to others, it fosters cynicism and disrespect for the law. And police can enforce the law only to the extent allowed by the public.

Hebert noted there are people in the Saline County Jail who've committed offenses far less serious than Taylor's. Which would make Taylor's sentence ... proportional? Hardly.

We share Judge Hebert's frustration in not seeing Taylor receive some jail time.

-- Ben Wearing

Executive Editor

822-1421

bwearing@salina.com

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