RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced a Laurel man was sentenced to 25 years for sexual battery.

According to Bramlett, Daniel A. Jenkins will serve 20 years in prison and then be placed on supervised probation for five years. He will also be required to register as sex offender once he’s released from prison and have no contact with the victim.

On April 27, 2022, Richland police received a complaint from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department regarding the defendant sexually abusing a victim when she was a child. Jones County deputies arrested Jenkins for child exploitation in an unrelated case.

After his arrest, Bramlett said the victim came forward to disclose the abuse that occurred when the victim was 12. He said the abuse occurred between 2003 and 2004 at the defendant’s home in Richland.

According to authorities, Jenkins admitted to some of the abuse during an interview with Richland police. He was charged with statutory rape, sexual battery, and gratification of lust based on the victim’s disclosures.

Jenkins pled guilty to sexual battery on April 25, 2023. He is facing charges in Jones County for the other incident.