Former Karelian deputy received 20 years on charges of sex with underage cadets

The Petrozavodsk City Court sentenced former deputy Ivan Romanov, accused of sexual assault against minor cadets, to 20 years in a maximum security colony, reports . Petrozavodsk Speaks

He was also sentenced to two years of restriction of freedom. Romanov himself said that he does not admit his guilt.

According to investigators, in 2012 Romanov committed violent acts against 16- and 17-year-old cadets with the complicity of the deputy director for educational work Oleg Semenov.

He has been in custody since April 2015. Romanov, who was a member of the Committee on Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, was accused under Part 1 of Article 132 of the Criminal Code (violent acts of a sexual nature using a helpless state), paragraph “a” of Part 3 of Article 132 of the Criminal Code (violent acts of a sexual nature against a minor ) and part 1 of Article 151 of the Criminal Code (involving a minor in the systematic use of alcohol).

It was also reported that he was tried for beating his ex-wife, but the criminal case was dropped due to the expiration of the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution.