BRENTWOOD — A Hampstead man was sentenced 14 to 28 years in prison for possession of child pornography — one of the longest prison terms to be handed down in Rockingham County for such a crime.

During a hearing Wednesday, Judge N. William Delker imposed consecutive state prison sentences on Robert Letoile, 41, after prosecutors argued for a 30- to 60-year sentence. Letoile was convicted in June on 26 counts related to possession or attempting to possess computer images and videos of the children.

Child pornography cases in Rockingham County have brought a variety of sentences in recent months, ranging from year-long county jail terms, or prison stints only half as long as what Letoile received Wednesday.

Delker said he was acting upon the desire of lawmakers who recently amended the law so that harsher punishments could be handed out.

“I am actually surprised so many of these sentences are suspended sentences,” he said. “I think the legislature has declared through amendments that they too view this crime far more seriously than it’s taken.”

Delker was even critical of one of his own recent decisions in Rockingham County, in which he allowed a 12-month jail sentence for Michael Hanson, a Portsmouth man who pleaded guilty in April to attempted possession of child pornography.

“To be quite frank, I regret accepting the negotiated sentence in that case,” Delker said.

Hanson, who is now in state prison serving 2 ½ to 7 years after violating probation, was given a lighter punishment because of a variety of significant legal problems with his case, Delker said.

“It was a lenient sentence that I now regret,” Delker said. “It stands as no comparison.”

Public defenders argued Letoile should only serve 5 to 15 years in state prison, citing the Hanson case and others.

Letoile had roughly 800 images of boys and girls — some as young as age 5 — engaged in various sexual acts between 2006 and 2008, according to prosecutors and indictments. He received prison time on only four of the charges. The judge suspended the remaining 22 charges for a period of 20 years, allowing prosecutors to impose a prison term later if Letoile violates his parole.

Delker said it is important to note the state law recently enhanced penalties against those convicted of possessing child pornography. The charge has been renamed as well.

Now a person convicted of possession of child abuse sex images can face a 7 ½ to 15 year prison term — twice as long as what the law previously allowed, Delker said.

Letoile received consecutive 3 ½-to-7-year prison terms under the old law.

“I think the prevailing view unfortunately is that these are just images,” Delker said. “(People say) ‘I am not hurting a child. What is the big deal?’”

If Letoile’s sentence is upheld, it could end up punishing him as severely as if he sexually abused a child himself — something Delker said he views as one in the same when he envisions the mental anguish child victims must suffer.

“To have that shame and that degradation memorialized and (to be) treated as a commodity,” he said. “It’s just as bad if not worse than touching the child in the first place.”

Rockingham County Attorney James Reams, who often complained that child pornography is seen by some as a crime without real victims, praised Delker’s sentence.

“I am pleased that Judge Delker joins me in my revulsion at this type of crime,” Reams said. “I hope others are convinced by his logic. This is why the legislature made the changes in the law.”

The courtroom was filled with family members who supported Letoile, and others supporting his estranged wife, Sharon, who reported him to police more than two years ago.

In a separate trial, Letoile was found not guilty of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl. Prosecutors dropped another case which charged Letoile with sexually abusing an 8-year-old girl.

Defense lawyers have already promised to appeal the sentence. One fact in the case they will likely challenge is police being allowed to obtain a second search warrant for Letoile’s computer after a judge had thrown out all evidence obtained from the initial search.

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James A. Kimble may be reached at JKimble@newstote.com.