An Ashdown, Ark., man found guilty of raping two girls when one was as young as 5 was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for one assault and 40 years for the other.
Sentences for Michael James Friday, 46, will run consecutively at the order of 9th Circuit Judge Tom Cooper, Prosecutor Bryan Chesshir said.
Friday began to have sex with the victims when one was 5 and the other was 9. The assaults occurred until Friday was arrested in July 2016.
Both girls now are in their early teens.
The victims, who did not know each other, attended a church camp last year and confided in a camp counselor about the rapes. The counselor contacted Little River County Sheriff's Office, and the Arkansas State Police assisted in the investigation.
A chemist with the state's crime lab testified that a bed sheet belonging to one of the girls was stained with semen that matched Friday's DNA, Chesshir said.
The evidence also included photos and text messages about requests for sex.
"The victims told details about being molested by Friday," Chesshir said.
The verdict was an emotional one for Chesshir.
"We had exceptional witnesses. We didn't know what to expect from the two young girls and if they could stand up in the trial and face the jury. When the jury gave the verdict, I had tears in my eyes," he said.
Friday was charged with two counts of rape and distributing and possessing or viewing matter depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child less than 14 years of age.
The charges carried potential sentences of 10 to 40 years or life imprisonment.
"We offered him a plea bargain of 25 years, but he wouldn't take it," Chesshir said.
The prosecutor also praised the jury of eight men and five women.