A Derma man was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to one count of sexual battery of a child under the age of 12 this morning in an Oxford courtroom.
Aaron Lee Patane
Aaron Lee Patane, 36, waived his right to be presented to a grand jury and entered a guilty plea today before Judge Andrew Howorth.
Patane was arrested Dec 2 at his home on Brumley Street in Derma and charged with four counts of sexual battery of a child under the age of 12, two counts of touching a child for lustful purposes and two counts of possession of child pornography.
Sheriff Greg Pollan said their investigation of Patane began when they were notified of concerns from the Department of Human Services related to the health of a small child.
The child was taken to Tupelo for a forensic interview, Pollan said, and a search warrant was issued for Patane’s home based on the findings in that interview leading to his arrest.
Following his guilty plea this morning, Patane was transported back to the Calhoun County Jail and will then be sent to Rankin County where he will be turned over to the Mississippi Department of Corrections to serve his life sentence.