LEE COUNTY, Va. (WJHL) – A Lee County man was sentenced on Thursday to serve 70 years and a day in prison for the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl in 2016.
According to a release from Commonwealth Attorney H. Fuller Cridlin, Steven Maness was convicted by a jury in October 2018 following a week-long trial.
Maness was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in his vehicle.
Maness’ sentence was recommended by the jury.
“We are pleased that the Circuit Court formally accepted the verdict and imposed the jury-recommended sentence of 70 years and 1 day to serve, effectively amounting to a life sentence for the defendant,” Cridlin said in the release.
Cridlin also thanked the victim for having the courage to testify in the case.
“This is not an easy thing for any victim, but particularly so for a teenage victim. For over four years, we have fought for justice on her behalf,” Cridlin said. “With the sentence imposed today, I hope that today she can finally feel some semblance of peace and normalcy again.”
