GALLIPOLIS — A Thurman man was recently sentenced to serve 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to rape charges in Gallia County Common Pleas Court.

Jeffrey Allen Bennett, 37, was ordered to serve four consecutive 10-year prison sentences after pleading guilty to as many counts of rape involving three very young girls. Pursuant to his guilty plea, four additional counts of rape, four counts of disseminating material harmful to juveniles and two counts of gross sexual imposition were dismissed.

Bennett was initially charged with raping three girls, ages five, seven and eight between Jan. 1, 2008, and July 25, 2009. He was also charged with exposing the aforementioned victims and a 5-year-old boy to pornographic materials during the same time period.

Since being charged, Bennett has remained incarcerated in the Gallia County Jail in lieu of a $140,000 10 percent secured bond.

Upon his release from prison, Bennett will be classified as a Tier III sexual offender. He has also been ordered to have no contact with the victims in this case.