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A state judge has sentenced the founder of Protect the Planet to a 10-year prison term on 62 counts of fondling five girls during a four-year period. Admitted molester Novick
handed 10-year termBy Debra Barayuga
Star-BulletinStuart Novick, 55, apologized yesterday to everyone he has hurt and asked for a second chance "to prove I am no longer what I was and (will) never go back."
After the sentencing, Deputy Prosecutor Susan Won read a statement from one of the victims who was present in court.
"It was hard to be here today but I'm glad he will have the time to think about what he did. It's time to move on with my life although it will take time to heal," she wrote.
The girl's mother said that while she acknowledges Novick has a disease, his seemingly "heartfelt and sincere pleas" in court were "Bull----!"
Novick faced multiple felony charges of promotion of child abuse, punishable by a maximum of 20 years imprisonment and numerous other sexual assault charges that carried five-year terms.
But under a plea agreement, Novick pleaded guilty to 62 counts of third-degree sexual assault, mostly fondling, and attempted third-degree sexual assault, charges which did not involve sexual penetration.
The state agreed to the plea agreement out of concern for the victims, many of whom had no idea what Novick was doing, that he was videotaping them or that what he was doing was wrong until he was indicted on the charges in September 1999.
Prosecutors say Novick had invited the girls to his Hawaii Kai home on the pretense that they would be starring in commercials for the environmental group. To make them relax, he made them lie down and massaged them until they were nearly asleep before he began molesting them.
The charges he pleaded to involved five girls between 8 and 16 and took place between 1995 and 1999.
Novick's actions came to light after a man who worked with him on Protect the Planet and was living at Novick's townhouse viewed some of the videos he had made and called police.
While third-degree sexual assault is punishable by a 5-year prison term, the state sought to extend the terms to 10 years based on the number of multiple offenses.
The state also agreed not to seek consecutive terms, agreed to drop the remaining charges and will ask the Parole Board to allow him to seek parole after serving at least five years in prison.
In his statement in court, Novick disclosed that he had been molested as a young child by an adult family member and attempted suicide twice as a teenager -- issues he never came to terms with. It wasn't until he began receiving counseling from Rev. Doug Olson in February that many of these issues resurfaced.
Deputy public defender Jack Tonaki said that from the start, Novick has expressed remorse for his actions and is willing to undergo treatment to treat his addiction to pornography.
Won said Novick had abused the position of trust bestowed on him by the girls' parents. Betrayal of that trust has resulted in long-term consequences, including the parents' fear of turning their kids over to other adults and the girls' fear of trusting anyone, she said.