A man convicted of rape, sodomy and sexual abuse in March has been sentenced for the crimes and will be spending the rest of his life behind bars.
Timothy Leon Odom, 45, was found guilty by a jury on charges of first-degree sodomy, first-degree rape and first-degree sexual abuse after a weeklong trial in late March. The jury needed to deliberate for less than an hour after closing arguments were presented.
Judge Bert Rice, who served as judge for the trial, imposed sentencing on Odom Tuesday. Odom was sentenced to life terms on the sodomy and rape charges and a 20-year sentence on the sexual abuse charges. The sentences will run concurrently according to court records.
The trial included testimony from witnesses, including the victim, and several experts in the medical and law enforcement fields.
During the trial, the victim testified that Odom began fondling her at the age of 7 with the first incident of rape occurring when she was 9 or 10 years old.
Dr. Marsha Raulerson, a local pediatrician, also testified during the trial stating that examination of the victim indicated she had been sexually abused. The physician could not give a specific time from as to when the abuse took place. The victim was 13 years old at the time of the examination.
Todd Stearns, prosecutor and assistant district attorney, said Odom had abused the young victim many times and continued the abuse during the trial.
“Evidence has shown that he stole her innocence,” Stearns told the jury. “He is a child rapist, sodomizer and abuser. He had one more chance to emotionally abuse the victim during the trial.”
Odom was taken into custody following the sentencing and began serving the sentence immediately.