ST. CLOUD, Minn. — A Stearns County District Court judge has awarded Jared Scheierl over $17 million in a civil lawsuit against Danny Heinrich, according to court documents.

In a ruling dated Tuesday, Nov. 27, Judge Andrew R. Pearson ordered Heinrich pay over $17 million in damages to Jared Scheierl, who he assaulted when Scheierl was 12 years old. Heinrich later went on to assault and kill Jacob Wetterling.

According to court documents, Heinrich has not responded to the lawsuit nor appeared in court. Heinrich is held in a federal prison on child pornography charges.

Heinrich was never charged with the kidnapping and assault of Scheierl, now 41, because the statute of limitations for the crimes had run out by the time of his confession in 2016.

"That was devastating to Jared," said Scheierl's attorney Doug Kelley on Thursday.

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Scheierl filed the civil lawsuit against Heinrich in 2016. The lawsuit sought more than $50,000 in damages. Scheierl testified during a court trial Oct. 19.

The court ruling said Heinrich "got away with kidnapping, sexual assault, and murder" and that the judgment in this case is "the only punishment Mr. Heinrich will ever receive for assaulting Mr. Scheierl."

But Kelley said it is unlikely Scheierl will ever see even a portion of the millions of dollars owed to him by Heinrich.

"It's uncollectable, I would expect, and I told Jared that in the beginning," he said. "Jared has said that the only way we'd ever be able to collect is if Heinrich got out and won the lottery."

Instead, Kelley said his client was focused on the accountability that now falls publicly on Heinrich's shoulders for the crimes he committed against Scheierl.

"I think Jared having his day in court was very important for him and his journey," Kelley said. "Money was never the object."

The court described Scheierl’s life after the assault as one of constant distress.

"How does this court put a value on the diminished quality of life that Mr. Scheierl lived as a result of Mr. Heinrich's act?" Pearson wrote in his judgment.

"Mr. Heinrich's actions on January 13, 1989, when Jared was only a child, directly resulted in immeasurable damages — a life of emotional pain, anguish and preoccupation with finding his abuser."

Scheierl provided a victim impact statement in September, according to court documents. The court last month also heard testimony from Scheierl's ex-wife, a childhood friend, and Patty Wetterling, and it received letters from Scheierl’s psychologist and his former employer.

Pearson ordered Scheierl be awarded $2,044,150 in compensatory damages for past lost earnings, future lost earnings, and future counseling expenses as a result of the psychological damage of Heinrich's actions.

He also ordered $5 million be paid to Scheierl in general damages and $10 million in punitive damages.

Pearson wrote the punitive damages are "necessary to punish Mr. Heinrich and deter others like him from acting similarly." He said they are not excessive based on the unique circumstances of the case and are in line with damages awarded in similar cases.

Kelley said the sizable damages are proportionate to the crimes committed, regardless of Heinrich's ability to pay.

"I'm very thankful the judge awarded the damages he did, because that reflects the seriousness of what Heinrich did to Jared," he said. "It was the accountability that Jared wanted."