A judge has sentenced 68-year-old Wiley Kay Curl to 30 years in prison for continuous sexual abuse of a child.
Falls County District Attorney Jody Gilliam says it took the jury about six minutes to find Curl guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14.
He appeared in court last week and gave a confession that was heard by the jury.
Gilliam said the victim is a 13-year-old boy who is a distant relative of Curl’s wife. She said the abuse was going on for three years.
Gilliam said the victim told his school counselor about the abuse nearly a year ago.
"I think this case illustrates how important our school teachers and counselors are," Gilliam said. "This sexual abuse, in all likelihood, would've continued had the school counselor not really recognized the fact that something appeared to be wrong and was able to talk to this child and get the child to come forward and expose the sexual abuse."
Gilliam said there is a special range of punishment for this offense. This is a first-degree felony that is punishable by 25 to 99 years or life in prison. There is no parole for this offense.
The victim is now staying with his grandmother.
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