Former Fort Carson soldier sentenced for sex crimes

A judge sentenced Aaron Lucas to 20 years to life for multiple sex crimes against children Friday (2/28/14).

Aaron Lucas pleaded guilty to eight felonies in November, including counts of sexual assault on a child, enticement and kidnapping. Originally, he had said his identical twin brother committed the crimes. The assaults happened over the span of two years. There were ten victims between the ages of four and six.

In addition to the 20 to life sentence, Lucas will serve additional sentences of between 18 months and four years concurrently. A prosecutor said the additional sentences won’t affect the time he spends in prison. But they are symbolic to give the crimes meaning and they will delay the date he receives sex offender treatment.

The judge said he considered multiple factors to determine the sentence. The mitigating factors included Lucas serving in combat and pleading guilty, avoiding a trial that would have put more burden on the victims. But the judge said there were multiple aggravating factors. They include the number of victims, their age, the multiple locations of the assaults and the fact that he wore his Army uniform in several of the crimes.

Lucas spoke before the judge saying he was sorry, and that as a father, he understood the victims’ families. His parents said he has an illness and needs help.

Several victims’ families spoke of the impact his crimes had on their families. They described the fear their daughters feel when they’re alone and the changes they’ve had to make in their lives.

The prosecution and defense still need to figure out Lucas’ extradition to Texas. His case in Alabama was dismissed. The prosecution is also disputing an evaluation that said Lucas is not an Sexually Violent Predator.