LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – A Lincoln man will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars after being sentenced to centuries in prison for sexually assaulting three young girls.

Lancaster County District Court Judge Matthew Mellor sentenced Maurice Thomas, 44, to 205 to 252 years in prison on Thursday. He was given 523 days credit for time served.

Thomas was convicted of five counts in October, including first and third degree sexual assault of a child, generation of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

Officers were alerted to the attacks on May 30, 2023 by the mother of three girls in Lincoln. The girls, aged 8, 9 and 10, were forensically interviewed a few days later. Each child described being sexually abused by Thomas, along with 20-year-old Sahara Williams, according to an affidavit.

Authorities later discovered that Thomas had recorded several cases of abuse on his cell phone and more child pornography was found in his possession. Prosecutors alleged that Thomas threatened to harm the girls if they did not submit to the abuse.

Thomas and Williams were taken into custody on June 16, 2023 and later charged after being interviewed. In sentencing Thomas, Judge Mellor found he was a habitual offender following several previous felony convictions in 2004. He will not be eligible for sufficient time until his minimum sentence is served.

As for Williams, she pleaded not guilty to two counts of first- and third-degree sexual assault of a child last year. Her next court date is scheduled for January 16. The court plans to send the case to trial in February if Williams refuses a plea deal.

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