A Laurel Springs man was sentenced last week to at least 12 years in prison on a sex offense charge. Douglas Eugene Thompson, 38, of Laurel Springs, had been charged in March with statutory rape, statutory sex offense and incest between near relatives. All three offenses allegedly occurred March 24 and involved the same 13-year-old girl.
On Aug. 6 the grand jury returned true bills of indictment against Thompson on all three charges. His trial was held the same day in Alleghany County Superior Court.
Thompson's sentence came through a plea-bargain agreement. He was allowed to plead no contest to attempted first-degree sex offense, a somewhat lesser charge, with the statutory rape and incest charges dismissed.
Judge Dennis J. Winner sentenced Thompson to 144 to 182 months in the N.C. Department of Corrections, with credit for 135 days already served.
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