A Utah man pleaded guilty today to repeatedly sexually abusing a young girl over the span of seven years, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.

At today's court appearance, Timothy John Bennett (dob 4/29/72) pleaded guilty to a felony count of continuous sexual abuse in case VA145820.

Following the plea, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Roger Ito immediately sentenced the defendant to 12 years in state prison. Additionally, he ordered Bennett to register as a lifetime sex offender.

Deputy District Attorney Safaan Ahmed of the Victim Impact Program, who prosecuted the case, said at the time of the crime Bennett lived in Norwalk. The defendant sexually molested an underage girl he had access to from 1999 to 2006, according to the prosecutor.

In 2006, Bennett moved to Utah and the sexual abuse stopped, the prosecutor added.

As the victim grew older, she told a counselor about the abuse, who then notified law enforcement, the prosecutor said.

After further investigation, prosecutors filed a case for warrant on Sept. 21, 2017. The next month, Bennett was extradited to Los Angeles County to face criminal prosecution for the child abuse.

The case was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Los Angeles District Attorney / case VA145820 /March 27, 2018