Franklin County judge sends sex offender to prison for 70 months

A convicted sex offender who pleaded Friday for treatment instead is going to prison because she failed to show much remorse for encouraging a lingerie-clad teen to participate in a lengthy photo shoot.

Suzette Angela Razzolini was ordered to serve five years and 10 months for the September 2011 crime.

She told the court that 23 hours a day for 203 days she has sat in her cell with more questions than answers about why she’s there and thinking about what her future might hold.

Razzolini has been in custody since a Franklin County Superior Court jury convicted her Jan. 24 for sexual exploitation of a minor with the aggravating circumstance that she used a position of trust.

“I strive to be the best possible person I can be while in here, and I want to continue to be the best possible person I can be out there,” she said.

“I’ve heard it said that children are a product of their environment. Unfortunately I’m proof of that,” said Razzolini, who told a counselor she was sexually abused during her childhood and has been diagnosed with mental issues. “This is not an excuse for the choices I’ve made.”

Her 10-minute speech before the court included a tearful request of the victim to forgive her and to take advantage of counseling.

“This is not your fault. None of this is your fault and, no matter what this sentence is, it’s a life-changing sentence,” Razzolini said.

But Judge Robert Swisher — after taking a 23-minute recess to think about the “difficult sentencing” — said Razzolini didn’t deserve a Special Sex Offender Sentencing Alternative because her story has been inconsistent and changed late in the evaluation process as she prepared for sentencing.

The sentencing alternative usually carries a county jail term of six months to one year along with extended sex offender treatment.

“I’ve done a fair number of these SSOSA hearings, and every one I’ve done in the past starts with the defendant saying, ‘I know what I did was wrong,’ ” Swisher said. “This one hasn’t started that way. I don’t believe (Razzolini) has truly accepted responsibility for what she did to (the girl).”

Razzolini, 42, originally was charged in Benton County, but the case was dismissed and refiled in Franklin County because the incident occurred in Pasco.

Benton County sheriff’s Detective Scott Runge discovered video of the photo shoot on a computer during a child molestation investigation involving Razzolini’s husband, Daniel Paul Devorkin.

Jurors had to watch 41/2 hours of that video during Razzolini’s trial. In the video, Razzolini can be seen posing with the young teen girl and an older teen, while also telling them what to wear and how to model seductively, according to court documents.

Devorkin took pictures and shot the video, which also shows the couple providing alcohol to the younger girl and drinking it with her, documents said.

The older teen was not included in the charge because she was not considered a minor by law.

Devorkin pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree child molestation and sexual exploitation of a minor for the same victim. He is serving his five-year, eight-month term at Airway Heights Corrections Center.

Deputy Prosecutor Brian Hultgrenn had asked for a seven-year sentence for Razzolini because she admitted to perjuring herself at trial in the “heinous case.” He questioned if her claims of wanting to change were genuine and how treatment would help her when earlier mental health counseling didn’t stop her from committing the crime.

Defense attorney Norma Rodriguez said her client underwent an extensive evaluation process with a Yakima counselor to determine that she is amenable to therapy. She also pointed out that a few jurors after the trial said it was their wish to see Razzolini get community-based treatment.

Rodriguez represented Razzolini along with attorney Michelle Alexander.

Rodriguez blamed Devorkin for taking advantage of their client’s vulnerability, said “to a significant degree the victim was a willing participant” in the photo shoot and noted that Razzolini wouldn’t even be standing before the court if she had not turned over the video in her husband’s investigation.

The victim told Swisher she supports the request for treatment so Razzolini can “get the help she needs, get back on track and slowly start getting better.”

Razzolini was ordered to have no contact with the victim for four years.

– Kristin M. Kraemer: 509-582-1531; kkraemer@tricityherald.com; Twitter: @KristinMKraemer

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