Man Convicted of Raping Teenage Girl Sentenced

An Adams, Massachusetts, man convicted of raping a teenage girl has been sentenced to up to 12 years in prison.

George Shurtleff was sentenced Monday in Berkshire Superior Court following his conviction by a jury last week on charges of child rape and indecent assault and battery charges.

Prosecutors say the 54-year-old Shurtleff started abusing the girl in February 2011 when she was 13 years old and continued doing so until November 2013.

Shurtleff's attorney said much of the evidence in the case is disputed and suggested the girl may have had other motivations for making the accusations.

The Berkshire Eagle reports that Shurtleff's family maintained his innocence at sentencing, with one saying "He's in jail for something he never did."