Kansas City man gets 36-year sentence on child sex abuse charges

A Kansas City man has been sentenced to 36 years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of statutory sodomy involving two Platte County girls under the age of 12.

Jerry L. Snodgrass, 58, received the sentence in Platte County Circuit Court on June 19, according to Platte County prosecutors. Snodgrass was sentenced to 18 years on each count of statutory sodomy.

The sentences were ordered to be served consecutively.

In December 2013, the mother of one of the victims reported to Riverside police that Snodgrass had inappropriate sexual contact with her daughter. The following month, another mother reported to Riverside authorities that Snodgrass had molested her daughter.

Both victims disclosed sexual abuse by Snodgrass in interviews. Snodgrass previously had been convicted of sexual misconduct with a child in Kansas, according to prosecutors.

“It is heartbreaking that this man had the opportunity to hurt more children after being convicted of a sex crime in Kansas,” Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said in a statement.

“I hope this sentence will end his abuse of children once and for all.”