XENIA — A Xenia man convicted of child rape received a life sentence Monday in Greene County Common Pleas Court. Joshua Landers, 27, will first be eligible for parole in 10 years.

The Xenia man was sentenced by Judge Michael Buckwalter after a jury found Landers guilty on one count of rape and not guilty on two counts of rape following three days of trial.

“When the jury came back with a guilty on count three, I was very relieved that finally Josh Landers would be guaranteed to be off our streets,” Greene County Assistant Prosecutor Alice DeWine said following the sentencing hearing.

Landers was also ordered to register as a Tier III sexual offender.

According to Landers’ defense attorney, David Sams, an appeal is planned in the case. Sams declined to comment further following Landers’ sentencing because of the appeal.

The court heard testimony from several witnesses over the course of the trial, including the case’s victim, who testified about incidents of sexual contact with Landers back in 2013. The court also heard from DNA analysis experts and a Dayton Children’s Hospital pediatrician who examined the victim after sexual abuse was reported.

Testimony during the trial also revealed that Landers was the roommate of one of the victim’s mother’s friends and had been tasked with watching the girl on occasion.