XENIA — A Fairborn man was sentenced to 10 years to life in prison Dec. 20 in Greene County Common Pleas Court for the rape of a 12-year-old girl.

Dakota Lacey, now 25, was sentenced nearly a year to the day that the alleged crime occurred in his Redbank Drive home. He listened in the courtroom as a representative read a statement from the victim’s mother.

“Rape: all too often you hear of this horrible crime happening to our children … We learned all too well the toll it takes on a family,” she began. “The effect a rape takes on a child can not even be imagined … I’ll never understand why this happened to her … I have spent many hours in tears asking myself, ‘why?’ ”

She continued, directing the letter to the defendant.

“Dakota, as we struggle to find forgiveness in our hearts for what you have done to our loved one, I hope and pray that one day you will ask for forgiveness for what you have done,” she said.

Judge Stephen Wolaver sentenced Lacey to a definite period of 10 years to life for rape, a first-degree felony that required a mandatory prison term. Lacey also received five years for Gross Sexual Imposition, a third-degree felony and five years for importuning, a third-degree felony. The sentences are to be served concurrently.

Lacey is entitled to 360 days jail time credit. He also must register as a Tier III sex offender every 90 days for the rest of his life.

A jury returned three guilty verdicts for Lacey Sept. 27 during a trial in which both the victim and the defendant took the stand. While Assistant Prosecutor Cheri Stout urged the jury to listen to the victim’s testimony, Defense Attorney Patrick Mulligan argued that there was not enough evidence for a conviction.

Mulligan said he would file an appeal for the case.

By Anna Bolton

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Contact Anna Bolton at 937-502-4498.