Dexter man sentenced to 17 years

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Dexter, Mo., man jailed in April on charges of child molestation was sentenced to 17 years in prison Wednesday.

Chris Abernathy, 35, was charged in connection with the molestation of a 2-year-old girl.

In an April interview with Dexter Detective Lt. Trevor Pulley, Abernathy reportedly admitted to the charges.

The charge is the unclassified felony of statutory rape in the first degree with a person younger than 14 years old. Because in this case the victim is younger than 12, the charge provides for a mandatory penalty of 10 years in prison with a maximum of life.