Emotional victim statements read in court when Deltona ex-firefighter accused of rape gets 7 years

DELTONA, Fla. — A former Deltona firefighter accused of raping several women has been sentenced to 7 1/2 years in prison and 10 years of sex offender probation.

Investigators said at least 12 women accused Terry Freeman of sexual assault, though he was only charged in only six of those cases.  As part of his sentencing, Freeman must also register as a sex offender.

In court on Thursday, Freeman pleaded guilty to three charges, including one charge of sexual battery and two third-degree felony battery charges.

Though he had six cases against him going into Thursday's plea deal, three cases were dropped.

Freeman sat with a straight face as a state attorney read statements from his rape victims.

“I believe you’re a sociopath who doesn’t have one ounce of remorse. You don’t have a conscience. I have anger and hatred for you, and people like you,” one of the statements read.

The state attorney mentioned 10 victims in court and at one point during the investigation said 12 victims had come forward.

Most of them claimed Freeman used his position as a firefighter to gain their trust as he took them on dates and took advantage of them.

"Surely a community servant could not be a serial rapist. Then, victim, after victim, after victim came forward," said Assistant State Attorney of the 7^th judicial circuit Laura Coln.

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The victims said they were emotionally scarred for life but were happy justice is being served.

“You stole my virtue and my trust for those in the position you once held," one of the victims said.

In late December, Freeman was about to get out of jail after his arrest for allegedly sexually assaulting one woman when deputies said media coverage led to more women coming forward.

Reports said some of the allegations date back to 2011.

Freeman, a Deltona firefighter at the time, met some women at their place of work and another he met on a dating website.

Each woman described a violent encounter with Freeman, where he allegedly forced them into sex against their will.
Freeman was represented by Mark O'Mara, the attorney who represented George Zimmerman.

“It’s a compromise. Any case like this is a negotiation to get a resolution and that’s what this was,” O’Mara said.

The plea deal helps resolve the open rape cases, but for Freeman’s victims, some said they may never be emotionally whole again.

“Walking back into your living room to retrieve my things, your face, like you had just won a game, still haunts me,” said another victim.

The first victim that came forward said Freeman’s sentence was not harsh enough, but she was satisfied he can no longer victimize women.

WFTV