A Great Falls man charged with sexually assaulting a toddler as part of a satanic ritual was sentenced Thursday to time served for a lesser misdemeanor count in a plea agreement reluctantly entered into by an admittedly frustrated prosecution. Mark A. Sprague, 26, of 512 2nd Ave. N., entered an Alford plea and was sentenced Thursday to the maximum year in jail, all but the 263 days served suspended, for negligent endangerment, a charge amended from felony sexual assault. One count of ritual abuse of a minor, also a felony, was dismissed. In an Alford plea, a defendant admits that the state has enough evidence that he is likely to be convicted at trial, without actually admitting guilt. Sprague originally faced two to 100 years on the sexual assault charge and two to 20 years for ritual abuse. According to an affidavit filed in District Court, in October 2001, police believe Sprague sexually abused a 3-year-old boy and killed a black cat in front of him as part of a Halloween ritual. At other times, he reportedly drank cat's blood in front of the boy and held a gun to the boy's head, threatening to shoot him.

The boy, now 5, was taken from his mother, Sprague's girlfriend at the time. She told investigators that Sprague said he would kill her if she told anyone about his activities, the affidavit said.


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