T-L Photo/ ROBERT A. DEFRANK Joseph Palmer hears his sentence of five years in prison for gross sexual imposition and is taken into custody. Palmer appeared Monday before Belmont County Common Pleas Judge John Vavra with his defense attorney, Donald Tennant Jr.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — A Bellaire-area man will spend five years behind bars for sexual crimes against a child.

Joseph Palmer, 63, of 50382 Pipe Creek Road was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty Monday afternoon to gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony that occurred in 2013.

Palmer’s trial was to be held today. According to court records, he initially was charged with first-degree felony rape and gross sexual imposition.

Belmont County Common Pleas Judge John Vavra heard the plea and imposed the sentence. Palmer also was designated a Tier 2 sex offender. When released, he will be obligated to register his residence with the sheriff of the county where he lives for 25 years.

The victim was a girl younger than 13 years old at the time of the crime. The incident occurred at Palmer’s Pipe Creek Road residence. The victim was known to Palmer.

Belmont County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said the matter came to light after a “late disclosure by the victim to an adult.”

“It was a tremendous effort, not only by the defendant but by Detective Ron Miro of the Belmont County Sheriff’s Department. The way they pursued this case made this conviction possible,” he said.

Flanagan said the victim and her family were satisfied with the resolution. Palmer made no statement, nor did the victim or her family members who were in attendance.