DARLINGTON - A Monroe man was sentenced Thursday in Lafayette County Circuit Court to four years in prison and five years on extended supervision for sexual messages he sent to a girl on Facebook last July.
Adam D. Bliss, 36, pleaded guilty in November to the Class D felony charge of child enticement. Conditions of his sentence include undergoing a sex-offender evaluation and following all subsequent recommendations. He is also ordered not to use social media and not to have contact with minors without the prior approval of his agent.
According to the criminal complaint, a South Wayne girl reported receiving sexual proposals from Bliss via Facebook private messages. She and Bliss were connected as friends on the social media site.
An archived version of Bliss' conversation with the girl shows he made several inquiries into the girl's sexual history and preferences. He asked, "What's the oldest guy you ever been with?" and "Would you ever do something with me?? Even though I'm married."
He also proposed they meet: "Wanna come over tomorrow after your dad leaves and maybe do something?"
The girl provided neutral or noncommittal responses to Bliss' questions. At one point she clearly and explicitly told Bliss she was underage.
After the girl informed police of Bliss' comments, police confronted him at his residence. Bliss told them that he was not trying to seduce the girl but was trying to "hook her up" with a younger friend of his. Bliss then changed his story, telling police the friend sent messages to the girl though Bliss' Facebook account.
The friend denied ever using Bliss' Facebook account.
"Prison is the only option left for Mr. Bliss," District Attorney Jenna Gill said at his sentencing Thursday, citing a criminal history that dates back to 2000, with new charges filed against Bliss nearly every year since then.
A Department of Corrections pre-sentence investigation report on Bliss recommended the nine-year sentence due to his lack of cooperation and his continued refusal to take responsibility for his actions, she said.
Bliss has had his probation revoked nine of the 11 times he has been on it for various convictions in the past, according to the report.
Bliss' attorney, Peter Bartelt, requested probation for his client. He acknowledged Bliss' extensive criminal history but said this was Bliss' first conviction involving sexually inappropriate behavior toward children and involved only "grooming behaviors."
It is not, however, Bliss' first offense against children, nor the first time he has been charged with a sexual offense against a child. In 2000 and again in 2005, he was charged in Green County with first-degree sexual assault of a child, second-degree sexual assault and child enticement involving sexual contact, but the cases were ultimately dismissed. Over the years, he has been convicted of knowingly violating a child-abuse order, knowingly violating a domestic-abuse order, intimidating a witness, theft, writing worthless checks, battery, disorderly conduct and more.
In 2015, Bliss and his wife were charged with child neglect while living in Darlington. He was convicted and completed a year of probation. She fulfilled a deferred prosecution agreement in the case, and the charges against her were dismissed. In September, she filed for a divorce.
Bliss has been in jail for the past several months for failing to pay child support.
In determining the sentence, Judge Duane Jorgenson said one thing that "stuck out" to him was Bliss' history of repeated failure on probation.
"It is 11 kicks of the can and nine times you've missed," he said.
Also of concern to Jorgenson were Bliss' claims to a Department of Corrections investigator that his sexual messages to the girl were "no big deal" and details about his life were "none of your business."
"It is the defendant's right to have the pre-sentence investigation. It is really an opportunity to tell the court why there are mitigating factors to consider in sentencing, and you just ignored that," Jorgenson told Bliss in court.
Jorgenson said he tried to find something in the pre-sentence investigation report that would indicate Bliss was remorseful, could be rehabilitated or would be able to control his behavior on probation and couldn't find anything.
Probation is not appropriate for Bliss because he has no sense of responsibility, remorse or repentance, Jorgenson added.
"It is pretty clear to this court that these kinds of offenses are grave and dangerous behavior. It simply cannot happen," he said.
A few moments after Jorgenson handed down his sentence, Bliss became upset and tried to fire his attorney, but Jorgenson said that Bartelt was not fired unless Jorgenson said so.
Adam D. Bliss, 36, pleaded guilty in November to the Class D felony charge of child enticement. Conditions of his sentence include undergoing a sex-offender evaluation and following all subsequent recommendations. He is also ordered not to use social media and not to have contact with minors without the prior approval of his agent.
According to the criminal complaint, a South Wayne girl reported receiving sexual proposals from Bliss via Facebook private messages. She and Bliss were connected as friends on the social media site.
An archived version of Bliss' conversation with the girl shows he made several inquiries into the girl's sexual history and preferences. He asked, "What's the oldest guy you ever been with?" and "Would you ever do something with me?? Even though I'm married."
He also proposed they meet: "Wanna come over tomorrow after your dad leaves and maybe do something?"
The girl provided neutral or noncommittal responses to Bliss' questions. At one point she clearly and explicitly told Bliss she was underage.
After the girl informed police of Bliss' comments, police confronted him at his residence. Bliss told them that he was not trying to seduce the girl but was trying to "hook her up" with a younger friend of his. Bliss then changed his story, telling police the friend sent messages to the girl though Bliss' Facebook account.
The friend denied ever using Bliss' Facebook account.
"Prison is the only option left for Mr. Bliss," District Attorney Jenna Gill said at his sentencing Thursday, citing a criminal history that dates back to 2000, with new charges filed against Bliss nearly every year since then.
A Department of Corrections pre-sentence investigation report on Bliss recommended the nine-year sentence due to his lack of cooperation and his continued refusal to take responsibility for his actions, she said.
Bliss has had his probation revoked nine of the 11 times he has been on it for various convictions in the past, according to the report.
Bliss' attorney, Peter Bartelt, requested probation for his client. He acknowledged Bliss' extensive criminal history but said this was Bliss' first conviction involving sexually inappropriate behavior toward children and involved only "grooming behaviors."
It is not, however, Bliss' first offense against children, nor the first time he has been charged with a sexual offense against a child. In 2000 and again in 2005, he was charged in Green County with first-degree sexual assault of a child, second-degree sexual assault and child enticement involving sexual contact, but the cases were ultimately dismissed. Over the years, he has been convicted of knowingly violating a child-abuse order, knowingly violating a domestic-abuse order, intimidating a witness, theft, writing worthless checks, battery, disorderly conduct and more.
In 2015, Bliss and his wife were charged with child neglect while living in Darlington. He was convicted and completed a year of probation. She fulfilled a deferred prosecution agreement in the case, and the charges against her were dismissed. In September, she filed for a divorce.
Bliss has been in jail for the past several months for failing to pay child support.
In determining the sentence, Judge Duane Jorgenson said one thing that "stuck out" to him was Bliss' history of repeated failure on probation.
"It is 11 kicks of the can and nine times you've missed," he said.
Also of concern to Jorgenson were Bliss' claims to a Department of Corrections investigator that his sexual messages to the girl were "no big deal" and details about his life were "none of your business."
"It is the defendant's right to have the pre-sentence investigation. It is really an opportunity to tell the court why there are mitigating factors to consider in sentencing, and you just ignored that," Jorgenson told Bliss in court.
Jorgenson said he tried to find something in the pre-sentence investigation report that would indicate Bliss was remorseful, could be rehabilitated or would be able to control his behavior on probation and couldn't find anything.
Probation is not appropriate for Bliss because he has no sense of responsibility, remorse or repentance, Jorgenson added.
"It is pretty clear to this court that these kinds of offenses are grave and dangerous behavior. It simply cannot happen," he said.
A few moments after Jorgenson handed down his sentence, Bliss became upset and tried to fire his attorney, but Jorgenson said that Bartelt was not fired unless Jorgenson said so.