A Bulloch County man convicted of sex crimes against his girlfriend's juvenile daughter three years ago was sentenced Wednesday to life, plus 30 years.
    Ronald Maurice Wilkerson, 32, Bob White Court, was convicted on all counts of a 9-count indictment during a jury trial in March. Six men and six women deliberated about 90 minutes before finding him guilty of  two counts of aggravated child molestation, two counts of aggravated sodomy, three counts of child molestation, sexual battery of a person under age 16, and enticing a child for indecent purposes, said Ogeechee Judicial Circuit Assistant District Attorney Daphne Jarriel.
    Superior Court Judge Ronnie Rahn sentenced Wilkerson to life, plus 30 years to serve consecutively, she said.
    Statesboro Police arrested Wilkerson in May 2007 for “engaging in various sexual acts with the 8-year-old daughter of his live-in girlfriend," Jarriel said. Jarriel called 11 witnesses, including the victim, to testify during the trial. Wilkerson, represented by local attorney Matt Hube, did not testify.
    Statesboro Police Det. Sgt. Rob Bryan also testified, giving evidence regarding a similar incident in which Wilkerson was arrested for engaging in sexual acts with a 13-year-old female at Parker Street Park in Statesboro. Wilkerson is charged in that case with child molestation and statutory rape. Jarriel said that case still awaits trial in Bulloch County Superior Court.
    Wilkerson has two prior felony convictions, including a 1995 conviction for two counts of burglary and a 1996 conviction for burglary and statutory rape. He served four years in prison for the 1996 conviction.
    Specifically, in the case tried in March, Wilkerson was sentenced to serve a life sentence on both counts of aggravated child molestation, to run concurrent with each other; 20 years to serve on each count of child molestation to run concurrent; and 30 years to serve consecutive on enticing a child for indecent purposes.
    Jarriel said in Georgia, a person receiving a life sentence "must serve a minimum of 30 years before becoming parole eligible, although the Department of Pardons and Parole has the authority to retain custody of the Defendant for the duration of his life."
    A person sentenced to life would be required to serve a minimum of 65 percent of his sentence for the charge of enticing a child for indecent purposes before becoming parole eligible, she said.
     If paroled, Wilkerson would be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, she said.