WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts man has been sentenced to state prison for raping a 5-year-old girl.
The Telegram & Gazette reports 26-year-old Ryan Button, of Leominster, was sentenced Wednesday to 8 to 10 years in prison.
He previously pleaded guilty to three counts of child rape and open and gross lewdness. The child rape charges were reduced from child rape aggravated by age difference as part of a plea deal with prosecutors.
Assistant District Attorney Lambrini Pashou says the victim told authorities the abuse began shortly after she turned 5.
Prosecutors say the crimes occurred in Templeton between the summer of 2014 and November 2015.
Button will be required to register as a sex offender once he’s released.
(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)