A Howell man has been sentenced for sexually assaulting his stepdaughter.

37-year-old Michael Ringle was ordered to serve four to 15 years in prison and was sentenced last week in Monroe County’s 38th Circuit Court. Ringle was found guilty during a December jury trial of three counts of 2nd degree criminal sexual conduct involving a person under the age of 13 and a separate count of accosting a child for immoral purposes. The Monroe News reports that the abuse started in 2012 and Ringle sexually assaulted his wife’s 9-year-old daughter until she was 12. The incidents occurred between five and eight years ago. The newspaper reports it took several years to bring the case to court and testimony revealed Ringle threatened the victim to stay quiet, who is not being identified and is now a high school senior. The victim read a courtroom impact statement that said Ringle took her childhood away and he deserves as much time as possible because what he did will make her suffer the rest of her life.

Ringle did not address the court at sentencing. Once released, he will be required to submit to lifetime electronic monitoring. (JM)