WILMINGTON — A Warren County man was given a lengthy prison sentence for rape charges.

Christopher Henthorn, 21, of Lebanon, was sentenced on June 18 to a minimum of 10 years to life on two counts of rape, both felonies of the first degree, in Clinton County Common Pleas Court. Henthorn pled guilty to these two counts in May.

According to a release from the Clinton County Prosecutor’s Office, the case began in the Clinton County Juvenile Court when the Prosecutor’s Office filed two complaints in June alleging that Henthorn committed sexual offenses against two separate victims who were both under 13 years of age. One of the incidents occurred when Henthorn was a juvenile and the second occurred after Henthorn turned 18.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Dannielle Sollars filed a motion to have Henthorn tried as an adult. Judge Chad L. Carey made the determination that Henthorn would not be able to be rehabilitated in the juvenile system and ordered that the matter be transferred for adult prosecution.

Henthorn pled to one count of rape for each victim. At the sentencing hearing, Common Pleas Judge John W. “Tim” Rudduck emphasized that the potential of a life sentence meant that Henthorn’s release would be at the discretion of the parole board and that he could be imprisoned for life.

Judge Rudduck also noted the bravery of the victims for coming forward and being willing to face the possibility of testifying in front of a jury despite their young ages.