Mother sentenced to 54 years for horrific sex abuse of her own children

A Florida mother has been sentenced to 54 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing her children together with her husband, a decorated Marine. 

Sarah Adleta, 29, was charged with sexual exploitation of a minor. Her retired Marine ex-husband Jonathan Adleta, who was awarded the Purple Heart, was found guilty last month and faces 10 years to life in jail. 

The disgraced Marine officer, 25, allegedly wanted to have 'daddy-daughter sex', according to graphic details from the trial in Orlando, Florida.

Jonathan Adleta allegedly told Sarah when she was pregnant that he would only marry her if she consented to him abusing their daughter while she was expected to do the same to their son, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Even after the couple divorced, the children's horrifying ordeal continued. The mother went to live in Orlando, Florida with the children but her ex convinced her to let him abuse their daughter over Skype. 

She also brought her daughter to visit her ex-husband in Oklahoma so that he could abuse her. 

During Adleta's sentencing hearing Monday, mental health counselor Cherilyn Rowland Petrie testified that the couple's young daughter exhibited such disturbing sexual behaviour that she had to be removed from the home of a family that had been caring for her following the arrest of her parents, The Orlando Sentinel reported.

The girl, who was 4 years old at the time, had the developmental level of an 18-month-old, was malnourished and not potty-trained. 

Sarah Adleta's father made an emotional plea asking the judge to give his daughter the maximum sentence, telling the court that 'justice is needed.' 

The 29-year-old appealed for mercy, telling the judge that she was manipulated by her ex-husband, Jonathan Adleta. 

The defense was hoping that the mother of two would get a concurrent sentence of 27 years instead of two consecutive 27-year terms, with public defender James Smith arguing that Miss Adleta helped convict her ex-husband by offering her testimony against him.

However, Judge Roy Dalton Jr said that the facts of this case were so 'egregious' that he decided to sentence her to 27 years in prison for each of the two counts. 

The abuse began when the little girl was born in March 2009. The couple married the following year. 

Sarah Adleta  told the court this week that she consented to the abuse of her children because she loved Adleta and needed the financial support.

The Adletas' horrifying and despicable sexual abuse of their own children was only uncovered when FBI were tipped off when the mother sent naked pictures of herself and the toddlers to a man in North Carolina. 

The mother performed sex acts on her children so the man, Aaron Dixon, could watch, according to testimony she gave the court during her husband's trial last month. 

Jonathan Adleta served with the U.S. Marines for four years as a training officer. He was awarded the Purple Heart following a tour of Afghanistan. His sentencing has been scheduled for December.