EATON — On Tuesday, a Lewisburg man was sentenced to more than a decade in prison for the continued rape of a minor child over the course of eight years.

Glenn Blackwell, 64, was sentenced on April 19, in Preble County Common Pleas Court.

Blackwell was sentenced to a mandatory term of 11 years in the custody of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. Sentencing came after he entered pleas of guilty to five felonies: rape (a felony of the first degree,) and sexual battery, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, gross sexual imposition, and importuning, which are all third-degree felonies.

According to a release issued by Preble County Prosecutor Martin Votel, according to the minor victim’s disclosures, “Blackwell had engaged in various acts of sexual conduct with her beginning when she 6 years old and continuing until the age of 14. Blackwell admitted during a Sheriff’s Office interview to having a ‘close’ and ‘special’ relationship with the child and to engaging in sexual contact with her.”

“The plea agreement in this case was supported by the victim and her family,” Votel’s release noted. “The defendant offered no comment at sentencing. The victim, however, told the court that though her disclosures had divided her family, she had no regrets about coming forward: she wanted to ensure that the defendant never preyed upon another innocent victim.”

Deputies arrested Glenn P. Blackwell on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015. According to Sheriff Mike Simpson, the Sheriff’s Office was contacted on Sept. 21, by the victim and a family member. “Our investigation was conducted, which included interviewing the suspect. The victim is known by the suspect and the abuse occurred over several years,” Simpson said at the time of Blackwell’s arrest. Blackwell was indicted on Monday, Nov. 2, 2015.