A 35-year-old Minden man was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in Nevada State Prison for felony lewdness with a child under 14.
Shannon Bigrigg must serve a minimum of six years before he is eligible for parole.
District Judge Dave Gamble said he wanted to assure the 12-year-old victim that she was not at fault.
"There is not a scintilla of blame to be placed on this child victim," Gamble said.
"This is the crime of a man against a little girl. It is his sole responsibility. It is also her mother's responsibility for not listening to her child," Gamble said.
The victim told investigators the abuse occurred for six years. She said she told her mother previously, but the abuse continued.
"Until you figure out why you didn't seek help there can be no healing," Gamble told the girl's mother. "I can only imagine the guilt this child felt when this was not addressed."
Bigrigg was arrested May 24 and has been in Douglas County Jail. He apologized Tuesday.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I want to get better."
As a convicted sexual offender, Bigrigg is under lifetime supervision and must undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation before he can be paroled.
