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CASSOPOLIS — An Edwardsburg man was sentenced to probation and jail in Cass County Circuit Court Friday for criminal sexual conduct.

Pedro Moreno-Lopez, 47, of Edwardsburg, pleaded no contest to second degree attempted criminal sexual conduct involving a person under age 13 with a defendant 17 or older and was sentenced to five years probation, 365 days in jail with credit for 92 days served, registering as a sex offender and $1,108 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred a number of months earlier this year in Edwardsburg.

The girl’s mother spoke before the sentencing and said she discovered the abuse after discovering a rash on her special needs daughter’s body and talking to her daughter about what had happened.

Fitz said that no child should have to go through what the victim did in this case.

“Instead of playing with dolls and being a kid, she had to endure the molestations of a 47 year old man,” he said. “We’re happy that the victim is recovering and she is the winner here because she has shed the light of truth upon this episode.”

Defense attorney Robert Drake said that Lopez will be monitored with this probationary sentence.

Judge Herman noted that Lopez not only molested the victim but also secretly took pictures of her and others through a hole in a broken tile in the home’s bathroom.

“You are a despicable human being,” he said. “… Society deserves to be protected from you.”