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Sentencing set for man accused of sex abuse

Posted at 5:07 PM, Feb 14, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-14 18:30:55-05

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A former missionary from Oklahoma faces up to 120 years in prison when he's sentenced for sexually abusing four children at an orphanage in Kenya, Africa.

A March 7th sentencing date is scheduled in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City for 21-year-old Matthew Lane Durham. Durham was convicted last June on seven counts of engaging in illicit sex in foreign places, however three of the convictions were overturned.

Federal prosecutors say in a court filing that Durham should be sentenced to the maximum 30 years on each count and that the sentences run consecutively for a total of 120 years. Prosecutors say the victims are "psychologically damaged."

Defense attorney Stephen Jones told The Oklahoman that he plans to ask for an eight-year sentence plus probation because Durham has no criminal history.

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