Page 1 - . LextsNexise 6 of I I DOCUMENTS Copyright 2009 ProQuest Information and Learning All Rights Reserved ProQuest SuperText Copyright 2009 Palm Beach Post Palm Beach Daily News September 20, 2009 Sunday Dn I Edition SECTION: A SECTION; Pg. A.1 LENGTH: 1126 words HEADLINE: ATTORNEY FOR EPSTEIN VICTIMS: 'I HAVE NEVER SEEN A STRANGER CASE' BYLINE: MICHELE DARGAN, MICHELE DARGAN, Daily News Staff Writer BODY: Sex offender Jeffrey Epstein could have been charged with multiple counts of five federal offenses involving sex acts with minors and faced a life sentence, but, instead, the government agreed not to prosecute him or his procurers if he spent I8 months in the county jail on two state charges. Those were the details unsealed Friday in a nine-page federal non-prosecution agreement that lets Epstein and co-conspirator Lesley Groff and off the hook for any of those past crimes. "He could have gone to prison for life and somehow he's getting immunity in exchange for nothing?" said Fort Lauderdale attorney Brad Edwards, who represents three Epstein victims. "I have never seen a stranger case. To me, it's more spectacular what's not in it. It's the U.S. Attorney's Office saying we'll do everything in our power to see he doesn't get punished." Edwards has been fighting for a year in federal and state court to unseal the agreement. "The non-prosecution agreement raises more questions than it answers," said Miami attorney Adam Horowitz, who represents seven victims. "Why did all the co-conspirators receive immunity? Why were the victims not consulted re- garding the sentence? Why did he receive such a minimal sentence? The federal deal has remained sealed in Epstein's state court file since he pleaded guilty in June 2008 to state charges of procuring a minor for prostitution and soliciting prostitution. U.S. Attorney's Office does not comment The federal charges he could have faced were: conspiracy to persuade minor females to engage i