WISE, Va. (WJHL) — A Big Stone Gap man has been sentenced to four years in prison after he was found guilty of child sex crimes, according to prosecutors.

In December, a jury found Michael Edmond Tripp, 49, guilty of two counts of indecent liberties with a child by someone in a custodial relationship.

Prosecutors said Tripp committed crimes “involving inappropriate behaviors of a sexual nature with an 8-year-old little girl” in the late fall and early winter of 2020. Tripp was the live-in boyfriend of one of the victim’s relatives, according to the Wise County commonwealth’s attorney office.

“The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office is relieved to have sought and gained justice for the little girl who was brave enough to come forward and tell her story,” said Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Alicia Sneed, who was the lead prosecutor in the case. “Crimes against children will always be a priority to me and the rest of our prosecutorial staff to ensure safety, to seek justice for those harmed, and to help create a brighter future for all children in our area.”

Tripp’s four-year prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised probation and three years of unsupervised probation, according to the commonwealth’s attorney office. He will also have to register as a sex offender.