A Butler County man received a prison sentence of 40 years on Thursday after being convicted of two counts of rape.

On June 12, Thomas McMeans, 33, was convicted of rape, first degree, and rape, second degree, for the rape of a 14-year-old girl in December of 2009.

Butler County District Attorney Charlotte Tesmer said it took the jury just 27 minutes to return a verdict in the case.

“I am very pleased with the jury’s verdict,” Tesmer said. “The victim in this case did a wonderful job on the stand for a now 17-year-old child. She was consistent with her allegations from 2009 until today when she took the witness stand. I want to thank the Greenville Police Department investigators, Butler County DHR, and the L.V. Stabler Memorial Hospital emergency personnel for their work in this case.”

On Thursday, Judge MacDonald Russell sentenced McMeans to 30 years in prison for the first-degree rape charge and 10 years in prison for the second-degree rape charge. The sentences will be served concurrently.

First-degree rape is a Class A felony, which carries a punishment range of not less than 10 years in prison and not more than life or 99 years in prison.  Second-degree rape is a class B felony and carries a punishment range of not less than two years nor more than 20 years in prison.

“I’m pleased with the sentence,” Tesmer said. “I recommended 99 years for the rape, but I’m pleased that we were able to get a conviction and that he’ll be off the street and in the prison.”