Thursday’s sentence likely ensures Roger Lee Clark will die in prison.

A jury convicted the 65-year-old man of statutory sodomy two months ago in Buchanan County Circuit Court for sexually assaulting a 9-year-old girl, and Judge Dan Kellogg followed that up with a 50-year sentence Thursday — 85 percent of which is mandatory.

Mr. Clark’s public defender, Sue Rinne, told the News-Press it’s likely her client will appeal.

The victim told the court during the trial that Mr. Clark, who lived in the same house with the girl at the time, sexually assaulted her three times during July and August of last year. During the third time, the girl said her 8-year-old brother walked in on Mr. Clark and her and tried to stop it, telling him to get off his sister.

The judge called the defendant “a sexual predator” before handing down his sentence. Assistant prosecutor Pam Blevins called on two women to testify during the sentencing hearing — which began last week and then continued Thursday. Both claimed to have been molested by Mr. Clark more than 25 years ago.

Mr. Clark also served five years in a Kansas prison for enticing and soliciting a child in 1969.

During cross examination Thursday, Mr. Clark continued to deny any wrongdoing, but qualified those denials with statements about sleepwalking or not being able to remember. At his trial in September, he told Ms. Blevins that he put his head between his most recent victim’s legs, but did not touch her.

“Mr. Clark couldn’t tell the truth if he tried,” Ms. Blevins said Thursday. “He preys upon children. ... The defendant really has no redeeming qualities.”

Ms. Blevins asked for a 75-year sentence, “to ensure this defendant never sees the streets of this community or any community again until the day he dies.”

That likely will be sooner than later. The defendant spent more than a month in the hospital prior to his trial, had heart surgery and continued to require the use of a walker to get around Thursday.

Ms. Rinne requested probation, or a 10-year sentence if the judge didn’t find probation appropriate. She noted that 85 percent of 10 years likely would amount to life in prison for her client anyway.

R.J. Cooper can be reached

at rjcooper@npgco.com.