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Ex-Teacher Pleads Guilty To Abusing Boys

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By TODD LESKANIC

tleskanic@tampatrib.com

Published: November 7, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Judging from his words, Brian Lane is ill-informed about the long-term damage inflicted upon children who are victims of sexual molestation.

He will have the next two decades to consider it.

The former teacher at Sugar Plum First Class Preschool in Hudson was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to molesting two children who attended the school in 2007 and 2008.

In his statement to the court, Lane admitted he had done something "totally wrong," but otherwise seemed to make light of his crimes.

"I'm not out to hurt anybody," he said. "I have repented."

Lane, 30, of 7751 Deerfoot Lane, was arrested June 5 after a 4-year-old boy who attended Sugar Plum told a counselor that Lane had touched him inappropriately during nap time at the school. Lane admitted to touching the boy after he was arrested and charged with lewd or lascivious molestation.

Lane was arrested again the next week after a 10-year-old boy who attended Sugar Plum's before- and after-school programs made a similar but more serious allegation. This time, authorities charged Lane with capital sexual battery and lewd or lascivious molestation.

Had Lane gone to trial and been convicted of capital sexual battery, he would have been sentenced to life in prison. But the families of the victims signed off on a deal that had Lane plead guilty to the reduced charge of attempted capital sexual battery and two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation in an effort to put the painful episodes behind them quickly.

Still, the father of the 4-year-old victim didn't leave unheard.

He told Judge Thane Covert that although he had agreed to the deal so he could focus on his family, he didn't see the 20-year sentence as justice.

"But I am thankful that the children of our community will at least have one less monster to deal with for the next 20 years," he said.

The father's words didn't escape the ears of Lane's family, seated across the aisle. Lane's mother, Carmella Lane, and cousin, Annie McAuliff, stuck up for him.

"He's not a monster," Carmella Lane yelled at the father. "I don't condone anything he did, but as a mother and a human being, he's not the kind of monster they make him out to be."

"He doesn't deserve 20 years in prison," McAuliff added. "He doesn't deserve life - maybe five years. That man, he repented. Brian, I will always love you. When you come out I am there for you, and my family is there for you."

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (727) 815-1084.

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