Bedford County Circuit Court Judge Robert Crigler on Wednesday sentenced a 38-year-old Shelbyville man to 20 years in prison for raping a 12-year-old girl seven times starting early last year.

Dan B. Langford appeared in court wearing an inmate's orange uniform from the Bedford County Jail where he's been held since his arrest on May 10. Langford pleaded guilty to seven counts of rape of a child.

The crimes were not discovered until after the victim spoke with a classmate at school, according to Assistant District Attorney General Mike Randles who was permitted by Langford to describe the situation in open court.

The victim wanted to join a sports team but realized that she couldn't because she was pregnant, Randles said. The victim told her friend who shared that information with an adult and that led to a police investigation.

Shelbyville Police Detective Lori Mallard arrested Langford and during a bond hearing conducted May 25 it was revealed that 17 arrest warrants had been sworn out against Langford.

All but seven of the charges stemming from the warrants against Langford were dropped. Statutory rape was among the charges dropped.

Langford was first held in lieu of $850,000 bond, but on a request from his second attorney, John Norton of Shelbyville, a hearing was conducted so a sessions court judge could consider a request for a lower bond.

Bedford County Sessions Judge Charles Rich recused himself from hearing the case, explaining that he knew Langford's family. General Sessions Court Judge Charles "Chuck" Crawford of Fayetteville presided over the bond hearing in May.

Shelbyville-based lawyer Trisha L. Henegar represented Langford first and sought a reduction of bond to $500,000. Crawford reset Langford's bond at $225,000 after he heard two women testify they'd report infractions of conditions added to the bond.

The conditions were to prevent Langford from having contact with the child and limited his travel and place of residence.

However, Langford never made bond and earned credit for his jail time since May 10, according to court records and statements made to Judge Crigler.

The full range of jail time specified in state law for the crime of rape of a child is 15-60 years, but because Langford has no other convictions, "He is a Range 1 offender," Norton said in court yesterday.

Up to 25 years in prison was the prospective sentence Langford faced, Crigler noted. So, 20 years was the sentence Crigler handed down on each of the seven counts of rape of a child.

However those seven 20-year terms are to be served concurrently, meaning they're counted as being served at the same time.

Nevertheless, there is no so-called RED date (Release Eligibility Date) for Langford, Crigler said.

RED dates are a statement of a time when a parole board hearing might be conducted. There is no guarantee and, in Langford's case, the confessed child rapist is to serve all 20 years.

"Yes, sir, it is," Langford replied in court Wednesday as he nodded to indicate he understood the nature of the prison sentences being imposed. He also nodded and said "yes" when asked if he'd entered the sentence agreement voluntarily and without coercion.

Such answers are required for judges to approve defendants' agreements with the state and they are to be on record to refute claims by prisoners who seek post conviction release.