Punished: Former Phoenix cop Christopher Wilson, 47, has been sentenced to 23 years after pleading guilty to three sexual conduct charges involving two boys, ages 14 and 17
A former Phoenix police detective was sentenced Monday to 23 years in prison after pleading guilty to having sex with two teenage boys.
The punishment imposed on 47-year-old Christopher Wilson by a Maricopa County Superior Court judge was part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Wilson also faces lifetime probation and must register as a sex offender.
He pleaded guilty January 26 to two counts of sexual conduct with a minor and one count of attempt to commit sexual conduct with a minor, just moments before the former cop's trial was set to begin.
The 13-year police veteran, who is openly gay, was initially charged with 10 counts of sexual conduct with a minor.
Wilson was arrested in 2012 after investigators learned of an alleged three-way sexual encounter involving two boys, ages 14 and 17, whom he had met through work.
Wilson was the Police Department's appointed outreach officer to the lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender community.
When given a chance to speak during his sentencing Monday, Wilson, dressed in a striped jail garb, said: 'I did not know at the time he [victim] was 14. He was supposed to be 18. He lied. I want to go on record stating that.’
In a jailhouse interview with the local station KPHO last year, Wilson claimed he thought the 17-year-old victim was emancipated and thought the 14-year-old was 18.
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Figure of authority: Wilson was the Police Department's appointed outreach officer to the LGBT community
Blaming the victim: During his sentencing, Wilson (pictured left) said the 14-year-old victim lied about his age
'I'm not a monster like everyone's painting me out to be. You know, I'm not a predator. I'm not a pedophile. I didn't go out and seek a 14-year-old,' Wilson said.
Wilson’s lawyer, Robert Campos, said after sentencing that his client made the decision to plead guilty and accept his punishment so that the two victims would not have to go through a trial.
"This is a case of Chris taking responsibility but also hoping that by doing the right thing, cooperating with authorities, that that in the end would also give him a fair and just sentence," the lawyer told KPHO.
Had he gone to trial, Wilson could have faced up to 80 years in prison if convicted.
The older of the two victims broke his silence last year, identifying himself as Caleb Laieski, who is now 20 years old and lives in Washington DC, working as a 911 dispatcher for the Arlington Police Department.
As a 17-year-old openly gay anti-bullying activist, Laiseki was recognized by President Barack Obama for his work and was eventually appointed as the Youth and Diversity Liaison in the administration of Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, reported the station.
Laieski met Detective Wilson through work, and the two eventually became friends.
The older of Detective Wilson's two victims broke his silence last year, identifying himself as Caleb Laieski, a one-time prominent LGBT activist who was recognized for his work by President Obama (seen left at the White House). The image on the right shows Laieski with Arizona Senator John McCain
Twist of faith: Laieski was indicted in 2013 on 13 counts of sexual conduct with a minor for having sex with the same 14-year-old boy as Christopher Wilson
Speaking to KPHO, Wilson admitted that he bought the teen a couple of cheap suits and took him to the dentist once, but he vehemently denied grooming Laieski to be his sex partner.
At one point, Laieski said he was at Wilson's home when the openly gay cop made a pass at him and sexual contact occurred between the two.
On another occasion, Wilson had sex with the 17-year-old in Laiseki's apartment, and that encounter also involved the 14-year-old victim who was the older boy's sometimes sexual partner.
In an ironic twist, a year after Wilson's arrest, Laiseki was indicted on 13 counts of sexual conduct with a minor for his trysts with the younger teen.
Caleb Laiseki pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years’ probation.
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