Man gets at least 33 years in molestation of children

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A New Hanover County man will spend at least 33 years in prison for raping two young girls in 2015 and 2016.

Marcus Jamal Dent, 28, pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree statutory sex offense, three counts of taking indecent liberties with children, three counts first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and three counts of third-degree sex exploitation of a minor.

According to the district attorney’s office, Dent was living with his girlfriend and the victims were his girlfriend’s daughters. The children were 3 years old and 9 years old. The children’s mother found a video on Dent’s phone which showed him sexually abusing her 9-year-old.

The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office got a search warrant for the phone and found three videos showing the defendant sexually assaulting the 9-year-old. The woman’s younger child also said Dent had sexually abused her.

The judge sentenced Dent to 33 to 51 years in prison. After his release, he will have to register as a sex offender for 30 years