By Joe Johnson
The Athens man who this week was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child will remain at the local jail as prosecution proceeds in a state case in which he is accused of raping and sodomizing that same young girl.
On Tuesday in U.S. District Court Chris Adam Valentine received the maximum sentence of 360 months lifetime probation for video recording the sexual assault of a 7-year-old girl.
The case stemmed from Valentine’s arrest at his Barrington Place home last year by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.
He was subsequently charged in a 12-count indictment with rape, aggravated child molestation and related felonies.
A Superior Court judge has scheduled a conference to discuss the status of the case on January 15, after a new district attorney assumes office.