A man pleaded guilty to repeatedly raping a 14-year-old girl after prosecutors revealed DNA results indicating he impregnated her, the Clayton County District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday.
Jose Fernando Loo, 38, admitted to raping the girl since she was 8 years old, officials said in a Facebook post. He faces similar accusations involving the same victim in Spalding and Carroll counties.
Loo had rejected plea deals all week, opting for a jury trial, according to the post. But when Clayton County Assistant District Attorney Kim Myers announced the DNA results in opening arguments, Loo changed his mind and pleaded instead.
The victim and her family asked Loo be sentenced to life in prison.
Loo’s attorney, Lloyd Matthews, suggested his client be given “credit” for not taking the child’s life and not forcing her to testify, district attorney officials said in the post.
Loo asked the judge for leniency, admitted what he did was wrong and asked that he not impose a life sentence.
“I'd like room to breathe, to have some day to come home,” Loo said in court. “I'm truly sorry, but I can't take it back.”
The judge sentenced Loo to 25 years in prison without parole and to serve the rest of his life on probation. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender and to not have contact with the victim or her family.
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