Bootheel man sentenced to prison on sodomy conviction

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Clarkton, Mo., man was sentenced Wednesday to prison after a Stoddard County jury earlier had convicted him of statutory sodomy.

The Daily American Republic reports Presiding Circuit Judge Stephen Sharp sentenced Dale Dewayne Bookwalter Sr., 36, to 15 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Steve Sokoloff said in a news release.

After hearing the evidence presented by Sokoloff and Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jonce Chidister during the June 11 trial, he said, the Stoddard County jury found Bookwalter guilty of his role in the 2008 sodomy of the victim, who was less than 14 years old.

Under Missouri law, Sokoloff said, Bookwalter must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before he is even eligible to be considered for parole.

"We take these offenses very seriously, and we are pleased that this dangerous offender is off the streets and in prison where he belongs," Sokoloff said. "We send our thoughts to the victim in hope that this may lead to closure of a sad event, and we thank all the agencies and individuals that came together to assist in the prosecution of this case, specifically the Clarkton Police Department, the Southeast Missouri Network Against Sexual Assault and employees of the Clarkton School District."

Chidister expressed hope that everyone affected by the trial would be able to move on from it, especially the victim and the victim's family.

"These cases are never truly over until the victims can receive the help they truly need," Chidister said. "We hope that everyone will, over time, be able to move on from the defendant's actions and rest assured that he is exactly where he needs to be."