A Natrona County District Court judge sentenced a Casper man to the upper limit of the recommended sentence for his sexual abuse of a minor.

Judge Daniel Forgey sentenced Matthew Conroy to a four- to five-year sentence for the abused of a 10-year-old girl when she spent the night at his house about four years ago.

Conroy, 34, pleaded guilty in  to third-degree sexual abuse of a minor in August.

In exchange for the plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss two counts of second-degree sexual abuse and one count of first-degree sexual abuse initially filed against him. The state also agreed Conroy would be sentenced to no more than five years in prison.

Assistant District Attorney Trevor Schenk told Forgey that Conroy should not be eligible for probation because he is a twice-convicted felon for burglary and being an accessory to burglary. He also had a juvenile record from when he lived in Denton, Texas, Schenk said.

Schenk recommended a three- to five-year prison term. "A message needs to be sent."

Public defender Curtis Cheney said Conroy has changed his he first met him, and has been able to get sober during the 219 days he's been in jail.

Conroy has a drinking problem more than he's a danger to the community, Cheney said.

Cheney asked Forgey to sentence Conroy to five years of probation, which will enable him to receive support from this family. He won't pose a danger to the community if he receives substance abuse and sex offender treatment while on probation at the Casper Re-entry Center.

When Forgey asked Conroy if he had anything to say, he responded, "Whatever way it goes, I'll do what I have to do. I'm not mad at nobody."

In handing down the sentence, the judge said much of what Cheney said will happen if Conroy is on probation is speculative. Forgey then imposed the four- to five-year sentence.

Charging documents say the victim's grandmother reported the crime to Evansville police on Sept. 18, 2016, after the victim told her Conroy had touched her inappropriately.

During his plea in August, Conroy said he and the victim were both wearing clothes when he committed the crime. He was a close friend of the victim's family, and grew up with the victim's father.

The victim, who described Conroy as "'like an uncle,'" told investigators that the act was "something people can do that is gross to do to people," saying he "touched [her] private part," according to court documents.

He also allegedly made her watch videos of "people who didn't have clothes on," and called her bad names when he moved away from him, according to court documents.

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