Convicted Greene County child rapist gets 108-year prison sentence

A convicted Greene County sex offender today was sentenced to the maximum term in prison, a total of 108 years, for rape charges involving a child younger than 13.

Anthony R. Moore must serve a mandatory of 83 years in prison after being convicted of multiple counts of rape of a child under 13, rape by force and gross sexual imposition, according to proceedings today in Greene County Common Pleas Court.

EARLIER: Prosecutor: Child sex victim testifies to years of abuse in Xenia

Moore had no reaction to the sentence in court.

Moore hung his head low as the victim read her statement prior to the sentence being delivered.

“I thought he cared about me as a stepdaughter and I thought he loved me. He knew what he was doing and he knew it was wrong. That's all I have to say," The victim said.

The victim's father also addressed the court, stating that his daughter “has a promising future.”

"She's been through a lot of emotional, psychological things due to the defendant and we're going to overcome it,” he said. “No child should have to suffer like this. As you can see all the family is always there for her. Everybody's been through it … It ain't right and there's never any excuse for it.”

Judge Michael Buckwalter called the defendant's actions "repugnant.”

"Immediately upon taking residence with (the mother) and her children the defendant began grooming 11-year-old (victim) for abuse,” Buckwalter said. “The defendant subjected her to a deliberate and repetitive pattern of gross sexual imposition that quickly escalated to a regular pattern of rape. He was a constant predator presence in her life to the point that she could not even enjoy a single night's sleep without fear or threat of the defendant sneaking in her room to abuse and defile her while robbing her of her innocence and the safety of her home and family … It is the court's intention and responsibility to ensure that Anthony Moore never again be alone in the presence of a child."

Greene County Assistant Prosecutor Alice DeWine said she is grateful that the judge agreed with her recommendation to sentence Moore to the maximum possible penalty.

“There's no reason for this defendant to ever get out of prison,” DeWine said. “Because of the heinous acts that he committed against a child, it's appropriate not only for justice for this victim, but so that no other victim has to go through this.”

DeWine said the trial was difficult for everyone, including the jury, who heard more than four hours of emotional testimony from the victim.

"Upon the conclusion of the trial and the guilty verdicts, they were very emotional,” she said of the jury. “You hear on the news that something like this happens, but it's very different to hear it from a child who is only 14 years old."

The crimes were reported first in June 2017 when the mother of the victim, who was known to the defendant, contacted Xenia police, according to court records.

The mother told police she was sleeping on the couch and her daughter was sleeping in her bed when the defendant got in bed with her daughter, according to the detective’s statement that led to Moore’s arrest on July 2, 2017.

DeWine said that incident was “count 19,” and investigators eventually learned that the abuse had been going on since the girl was 11.

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