photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Ernest F. Ingram II is pictured during his sentencing hearing on Feb. 8, 2023, in Douglas County District Court. Ingram was sentenced to more than 21 years for raping a 13-year-old girl after giving her alcohol.

An Ottawa man was sentenced Wednesday in Douglas County District Court to more than 21 years for raping a 13-year-old girl after giving her alcohol.

The man, Ernest F. Ingram II, 22, was convicted of one felony count of rape and one felony count of providing alcohol to a minor for illicit purposes after pleading guilty to the charges in December.

As the Journal-World reported, the charges stem from an incident between Sept. 20 and Sept. 22, 2021, in the 400 block of North Street in Lawrence. According to a police affidavit in support of Ingram’s arrest, Ingram met a 20-year-old woman on an online dating app and went to her residence. The affidavit said that Ingram, the woman and a 13-year-old girl in the residence played video games and drank beer that Ingram had brought. The affidavit alleged that Ingram had sex with the 20-year-old that night, then went to the bedroom of the 13-year-old and had sex with her. He told police he thought the girl was 16, according to the affidavit.

Judge Amy Hanley sentenced Ingram Wednesday to 253 months, or 21 years, for the rape and six months for the alcohol conviction. Hanley said that Ingram would have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life and would also be on post-release supervision for the rest of his life after he serves his sentence.

During the hearing Wednesday, Chief Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Tatum read a letter from the sister of the victim that said her family had spent the last 17 months in pain and misery. The letter said that the sister felt betrayed by Ingram, whom she had invited into their home. Tatum read that the woman hoped that Ingram’s imprisonment would be long and miserable and that she was glad that Ingram would not be able to victimize any more young girls.

Another woman spoke at the hearing who said she was the mother of another person Ingram had allegedly victimized. She said that Ingram did the same thing to her 16-year-old daughter by providing alcohol and then raping her. She said the incident with her daughter happened within days of the incident for which Ingram was being sentenced. She said Ingram had not shown any remorse for his actions.

Ingram was in custody in Franklin County, where he faced a charge of raping a minor, at the time he was charged in Douglas County. He was eventually convicted of aggravated endangerment of a child in Franklin County and was sentenced to probation, according to Franklin County court records.

Ingram, who was represented by defense attorney Al Harris, spoke briefly before he was sentenced. He told the court that he took full responsibility for his actions and intended to become a better person. Ingram was then returned to the Douglas County Jail, where he has been in custody since his arrest.