NORTON – (May 25, 2021) – A Norton man has been sentenced to life in prison for child sex crimes and rape, Attorney General Derek Schmidt said today.
Mark Scheetz, 32, was sentenced today in Norton County District Court to two Jessica’s Law counts of aggravated criminal sodomy with a child younger than 14 years of age, as well as two counts of rape. District Judge Preston Pratt sentenced Scheetz to life in prison. Scheetz will be not eligible for parole for a minimum of 50 years. He was also sentenced to 32 months for sexual exploitation of a child and six months for intimidating a witness.
Scheetz was convicted by a jury in April on all counts. The crimes took place between 2012 and 2015 in Norton County.
The case was investigated by the Norton Police Department, Norton County Sheriff’s Office, Sheridan County Sheriff’s Office, Bonner Springs Police Department, Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks.
The case was prosecuted by Norton County Attorney Melissa Schoen and Senior Assistant Attorney General Melissa Johnson and Assistant Attorney General Stephanie Plaschka of Schmidt’s office.