PARIS – A former Rumford man was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday for raping and assaulting a toddler.

Steven Morton, 21, pleaded guilty May 26 to charges of gross sexual assault and aggravated assault, which stemmed from a Sept. 27, 2005, incident. There was no plea agreement.

Oxford County Superior Court Justice Robert E. Crowley ordered that for the gross sexual assault charge, Morton serve a 27-year sentence with seven of those years suspended. That will be followed by 18 years of probation – the maximum allowed – and he will have to register for life as sex offender. Crowley also ordered Morton be prohibited from contact with children under 16.

Morton received a 10-year sentence on the assault charge, to be served concurrently with the gross sexual assault sentence.

“This gross sexual assault was committed in the most heinous of possible ways,” said Joseph O’Connor, the assistant district attorney for Oxford County.

According to court records, the victim’s mother had left Morton to care for her children while she was at work. She returned home and found him dressed in underwear leaving the toddler’s bedroom.

She found her 2-year-old injured, with part of her body covered in blood, according to court records. The child had to have surgery to correct the damage.

Defense attorney Ron Hoffman said that Morton’s crimes were not premeditated as he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol at the time. Morton had a serious substance addiction, Hoffman said, and would work toward rehabilitation during his time in prison and probation.

Morton has been in custody since his arrest, but was taken to the York County Jail in Alfred for safety reasons. He was taken to state prison Thursday afternoon.

Morton had no recollection of committing the crimes, Hoffman said, although DNA samples confirmed that he assaulted the child.

O’Connor sought a 30-year prison term for Morton. Hoffman did not suggest a sentence, but asked Crowley to factor into his decision Morton’s young age and lack of any violent crimes in his criminal history.

Morton has a “moderate to high” risk of being a repeat offender, O’Connor said.

Both parties acknowledged that at Morton’s age, he has a chance to be rehabilitated and rejoin society. While O’Connor wanted Morton to stay in prison until the victim is an adult, Hoffman argued that too long a stay would cause him to become “institutionalized.”

The victim’s mother testified Thursday morning.

“This has ruined our lives. Every part of it has been messed up since this happened,” she said. “I look at men completely different now; I am scared to work.”

Morton also testified, and apologized for his actions. Dressed in orange with his feet shackled and hands cuffed and bound to his waist by a leather belt, he said the mother was a friend of his.

“These people didn’t deserve what happened,” Morton said. “It doesn’t matter how much time I get, it won’t reverse what happened.”