ST. CHARLES • A former Fredericktown, Mo., police captain and Boy Scout leader was sentenced in St. Charles this morning to three consecutive terms of life in prison plus 22 years for sexual contact with two young boys.

Kenneth D. Tomlinson II, 43, once held the Fredericktown Police Department's top job. In November, he pleaded guilty on 16 counts of statutory sodomy, three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and three counts of possession of child pornography. He admitted to having sexual contact with two boys in 2009, beginning when they were 11 and 13 years old.

Attorney General Chris Koster argued for the state at this morning's sentencing. He said Tomlinson's crimes had "pulled the pin on a grenade" that had yet to go off. The boys will deal with the abuse throughout their lives, he said.

Koster asked for two life sentences. "Because the crime never ends, full retribution is appropriate," he said.

Public Defender Susan DeGeorge asked for a total sentence of 20 years. She said that was five years longer than any of the sentences proposed by a sentencing assessment prepared by the state Department of Probation and Parole.