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Paulding Co. man to serve 20 years for sexually abusing toddler and baby in North Dakota

Timothy Sprenger pleaded guilty to sexually molesting a girl between 1 and 3 years old more than 30 times and a second girl when she was a 6 or 7 month old baby

A 32-year-old Paulding County, Ga., man will spend the next 20 years in prison for the alleged sexual molestation of a girl more than 30 times when she was between the ages of 1 and 3, after his diary was uncovered more than a year ago.

Investigators in Paulding County found that the diary, which had been taped back together after being torn apart, had detailed multiple instances of child molestation against two girls between the ages of 6 months and 2 years of age by Timothy Sprenger.

Officials said Sprenger had ripped up the diary, but the torn up pieces were discovered by a relative taking out the trash. The relative taped the fragments back together and turned them in to law enforcement in Paulding County in June 2017.

Detectives were able to determine that the instances had occurred several years earlier in Minot, North Dakota, when Sprenger was in his late teens and had been babysitting the children.

RELATED: Diary leads to man's arrest on child molestation charges

According to the Minot Daily News, in his written diary, Sprenger said he molested one of the girls more than 30 times when she was between the ages of 1 and 3. He said he had molested the second girl when she was a 6 or 7-month-old baby.

Once investigators in Paulding County had contacted police in Minot, investigators from both law enforcement agencies working in tandem, were able to identify one of the victims -- now 12 years of age -- and her mother. With additional detective work, authorities were able to locate the other victim -- also 12 years old -- and her family, also living in North Dakota.

Both victims are currently in counseling.

Once that information was in hand, investigators in Paulding County interviewed Sprenger and obtained a full confession of the incidents along with additional acts that were not detailed in the diary.

According to the Minot Daily News, Sprenger admitted in his written confession to continuing to have sexual fantasies about babies and toddlers.

On September 22, 2017, North Dakota authorities obtained criminal warrants and a full extradition request for Sprenger. He was charged with one count of Gross Sexual Imposition and one count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child. The probable cause affidavit mentioned the abuse of a third child, but Sprenger was only charged in connection with the two victims in Minot, the Minot Daily News said.

Sprenger waived extradition and was transported to North Dakota on October 5, 2017. After his arraignment, Sprenger was held on $1 million bond until his trial.

On Friday, November 9, 2018, Springer pleaded guilty two class A felonies.

In exchange for his guilty plea, according to the Minot Daily News, the Ward County State's Attorney's Office agreed not to seek to have Sprenger declared a special dangerous offender and not to seek a life sentence.

He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually molesting a girl more than 30 times when she was between the ages of 1 and 3. He was given a second 20-year suspended sentence, consecutive to the first, for sexually molesting a girl when she was six or seven months old. The second sentence will be suspended for 10 years while Springer is on supervised probation.

Springer is required to complete sex offender treatment, register as a sex offender and have no contact with the victim a condition of his probation. In addition, the judge left the matter of restitution open for 90 days so that the amount Sprenger must pay to the victims may be determined.

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