when dan picked up his 10- year-old daughter from a friend's slumber party, she told him that michael gardner had molested her in the middle of the night. >> this is crucial that you believe your kids. the moment they speak up. >> that child and the other girl who was molested by gardner that night also spoke up quickly. police were able to collect their pajamas and underpants for dna testing. >> children are often not believed having that dna to back it up was crucial. >> convinced the jury michael gardner was guilty. >> a strong, powerful, convincing evidence. >> he had no apology. he told the judge he was falsely accused and wrongly convicted. his wife and former falls church mayor believes him. >> there's no doubt in my mind that my husband did not commit the crime he has been found guilty of. >> defense attorney, peter, asked the judge to consider that michael gardner's criminal behavior was an aberration of who he is. and gardner told the judge he was innocent. but the judge looked at gardner and said, the jury didn't believe you and sentenced him to 22 years. >> dan rice says he never

the sentence came down today. >> michael gardner barely reacted. he was the only one to speak out in court today, but the victims say they got the last word. they are willing to go public, but because of the nature of the crimes we are not identifying them. >> i think it was the right sentence. i'm very happy with the judge, and i think he did right by our girls. >> a father chokes up after learning another father he trusted will spend more than two decades in prison. 48-year-old michael gardner convicted of sexual assault. gardner's wife says it never happened, but the victims' parents say it did. >> we have the utmost trust in the guaardners, and if it hadn' been our daughter, i might have been one of the people writing a her on his behave, but it was our daughter. >> reporter: but michael gardner denies it. he said in court -- i have been falsely accused and wrongfully convicted of crimes i did not commit. a cry for help from one distressed child visiting my home has been hijacked and that miscarriage has kaus us into darkness. >> mrs. gardner y

michael gardner got 22 years in prison. for him, the case isn't over. richard jordan joins us from the newsroom with more. richard? >> doreen, gardner didn't flinch when the -- the victims feel justice is done. because of the nature of the crimes e. were not identified them. >> robbing it gardner defense her husband. will spend more than two decades in prison for abusing their daughters ease friends. two 10-year-olds say they inappropriately touched them. the victims ease parents say the girls told the truth. >> if you're a kid, you've got to talk to your parents, and if if you're a parent, you've got to believe your kids. it's crucial to believe your kids the moment they speak up. >> reporter: but michael gardner denies it. he said in court -- i have been falsely accused and wrongfully convicted of crimes i did not commit. a cry for help from one distressed child. that miscarrying has cast us into darkness. >> i'm not distressed, my children are not here. they know their father will be in prison unless the appeals are successful, until, as they say, th

that's the sentence for michael gardner of falls church.s the man convicted of molesting two little girls during his daughter's slumber party. the victim, one ten years old, the other eleven. both testified during the trial last may. and prosecutors used that testimony as well as dna evidence to secure their convictions. at today's sentencing, gardner maintained he is innocent and plans to appeal. we spoke with his wife, robyn gardner. >> there's no doubt in my mind that my husband did not commit the crime he has been found guilty of. i will stand by him. >> in reality, we have one less child molester off the street. >> that man is dan rice, father of one of the victims. 9news does not identify parents of children who have been abused, but dan wanted to speak on camera and get his message out. >>> with the political conventions over, it's back to the campaign trail for president obama and governor mitt romney. both hit key battleground states today. mitt romney spent time in iowa. the republican nominee told supporters the president's conve

michael gardner sentenced to 22 years in prison for molesting two young girls at his daughter's slumber party. before sentencing gardner said he was falsely accused. but parents say their daughters told the truth and are disappointed gardner did not accept responsibility or show remorse. gardner's attorney plans to appeal. >>> a d.c. pastor vows to continue her church's mission in spite of a brazen robbery at st. steven episcopal church in northwest d.c. surveillance video shows the robbery suspect follow a man inside the church. police say he forced the victim to the ground at gunpoint before robbing him. the pastor admits the robbery was a shock but says their work will not change. >> our doors will remain open. and that is our mission. and if we were ever to have to close our doors for fear, we might as well just close them forever. >> the suspect made off with the victim's iphone and wallet. police are still looking for him. >>> a love triangle is to blame for grounding a flight from philadelphia to dallas. the plane was forced to turn around this week after police got a call claimi

. >> michael gardner was slapped with 22 years behind bars for molesting two girls at a slumber party. and now his wife, the former mayor, is speaking out. roz plater has more. >> his attorney made a passionate speech of leniency saying he had led a model life. sixty people wrote letters on his behalf but they simply justin not believe. >> it helps. he will not be hurting anybody else for them. for the next 22 years. >> he is a former falls church activist and community leader accused of sexually assaulting two little girls who had spent the night at his 10-year-old's slumber party. they argue that the victim's testimony was inconsistent and dna evidence had not been thoroughly investigated. when it was his turn to speak he said "i have been falsely accused and wrongfully convicted of crimes i did not commit." >> i'm shocked, in a way. the evidence in this case was overwhelming. >> gardner's wife says she will continue to fight for him. >> there's no doubt in my mind my husband did not commit these crimes. i'm numb. i'm shocked. my children are not here. they know their father is goin

michael gardner was found guilty of molesting two girls aged nine and 10. and loudoun county jury recommended a 22-year sentence. he was chairman of the falls church city democratic committee through 2007. an alleged gang member charged with operating a prostitution ring in northern virginia will be sentenced today in federal court in alexandria. the springfield man has pleaded guilty. he organized -- it involved at least eight juvenile female prostitutes and was organized by the crips. >> president obama outlined his vision for the next four years. >> america, our problems can be solved. our challenges can be met. the past and we offer may be harder, but it leads to a better place. but-- the path we offer. i'm asking you to choose that future. >> the president searching for votes across the country. he and vice president biden's along with their wives are flying to portsmouth, new hampshire this morning and then they will campaign in cedar rapids iowa, later today. bill clinton will be campaigning for mr. obama next week in ohio and florida. >> the republi

michael gardner was sentenced to prison for touching girls at a slumber party last year. he maintained his innocence in court saying he'd been falsely accused. parents of the victims who we are not identifying because of the nature of the crime say they're disappointed that gardner isn't accepting responsibility. >> i don't think he has the ability within himself to admit what he truly is. >> gardner's wife, former falls church mayor robin gardner, says she believes her husband is innocent and will stand by him. >>> a d.c. pastor is vowing to continue her church's mission in spite of a brazen robbery last weekend. this happened at st. stephen episte copal church. police say he forced the victim to the ground at gunpoint, then robbed him. the pastor admits the robbery was a shock but their work will not change. >> our doors will remain open, and that is our mission, and if we were ever to have to close our doors for fear, we might as well just close them forever. >> the robber made off about the victim's iphone and wallet. police are still looking for him. >>> we have two

michael gardner was convicted in may of molesting two girls invited to his daughter's sleepover party. during the sentencing today gardner denied any wrongdoing. gardner is the chairman of the falls church democratic committee. >>> au.s. airways flight on its way to dallas returned to philly yesterday after a bomb threat was phone. in a passenger named christopher shell was taken from the plane at gunpoint. it was a hoax. police arrested another man for making the call. turns out the two were feuding over a woman. >>> the countdown is on for the washington nationals, the team may be in first place, but their time left with her ace pitcher is dwindling. dave ross is here with the latest on stephen strasburg. >> stephen strasburg made his final home start of the season for the nats in front of a packed house all trying to get their glimpse of him in d.c. this season, but unfortunately the fighting fish from miami would spoil the finale. he lasted three earnings, gave up two runs in the 1st inning. strasburg's final line, three innings, six hits, two strikeouts and three outs, far from t

michael gardner was sentenced to prison for touching girls at a slumber party last year. gardner maintained his innocence in court saying he's been falsely accused and wrongfully convicted. parents of the victims who we are not identifying because of the nature of the crime say they're disappointed that gardner isn't accepting responsibility. >> i don't think he has the ability within himself to admit what he truly is. >> gardner's wife, former falls church mayor robin gardner, says she believes her husband is innocent and will stand by him. gardner is planning to appeal. >>> mexican federal police have arrested a man they believe was involved in the killing of aus border patrol agent. police charge jesus mesa for kill brian terry in 2010 during the botched gun smuggling probe known as operation fast and furious. officers found guns at the scene connected to the operation fast and furious, a plan to bust high level traffickers. terry was killed during a shoot-out in arizona. >>> a major traffic alert this morning for metro riders getting through the city could be a nightm