A man who kidnapped and raped a Penhold teenager has been sentenced to 18 years in prison.
As an untreated sexual sadist, Gerard John Baumgarte, 57, of Red Deer, represents a continued danger to society, Justice Doreen Sulyma said in passing sentence on Friday in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench.
Sulyma sentenced Baumgarte to 17 years for the kidnapping, a further year for using an imitation firearm in committing the offence, and the other charges to be served concurrently.
She credited him for time served so he will spend 15 years and 315 days in prison.
In November, Baumgarte, pleaded guilty to kidnapping, forcible confinement, two counts of sexual assault, using an imitation firearm in the commission of an offence, possessing a restricted firearm knowing it was prohibited, assault using a knife and falsely representing himself as a peace officer.
Baumgarte kidnapped the teenager on Feb. 26, 2009. She was held hostage in his Red Deer residence for almost two days and sexually assaulted nine times before he released her.
The girl, who cannot be named by a court order, was driving home at about 9:40 p.m. after a quick trip to a nearby convenience store in Penhold.
Posing as a police officer, Baumgarte stopped beside the young driver outside her home. His car was equipped with red and flashing lights.
He wore a fur hat similar to that worn by RCMP officers and his clothing had RCMP flashes and yellow strip down the pant legs similar to Mounties.
He told the victim he was going to write her a ticket because he said the licence plate on her vehicle was expired.
Baumgarte asked the girl to get into his car. Once inside, he held a knife to her face and slashed her cheek when she struggled.
He then pointed an imitation handgun at her and forced her to wear ski goggles, which had been painted black over the lenses.
The girl was then tied up. He put her in the trunk of his vehicle and took her to his residence in north Red Deer.
After the assaults over a span of 46 hours, he dropped her off at a Red Deer shopping mall.
The girl’s disappearance sparked a police manhunt and prompted friends, family and strangers to hold candlelight vigils.
Baumgarte’s sentencing, which began in November, was adjourned until Thursday for the completion of the psychiatric report.
Dr. Roger Brown, a forensic psychiatrist at Alberta Hospital Edmonton, testified on Thursday that Baumgarte “meets full diagnostic criteria” for a sexual sadist, defined as someone who gets sexual pleasure by the psychological and physical suffering of others.
“It’s actually quite rare. It’s the only time I’ve felt confident in the diagnosis,” Brown said.