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Johnny Chandler, 57, was sentenced to life in prison on July 14
NEED TO KNOW
- An Alabama man was sentenced to life in prison on July 14 after being found guilty of multiple charges including rape and kidnapping
- A 10-year-old girl was found in a crawlspace in Chandler’s basement two days after she was reported missing
- “This case is one of the most disturbing we have seen,” Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey said after Chandler’s conviction earlier this year
An Alabama man who raped a 10-year-old girl and hid her in his basement wall has learned his fate.
Johnny Chandler, 57, was sentenced to life in prison on July 14. He was found guilty in April of rape, kidnapping, sexual abuse of a child under 12, unlawful imprisonment and obstructing governmental operations, according to reports from AL.com, WBRC and ABC 33/40.
Prosecutors said Chandler groomed and kidnapped the girl, whose stepfather he knew. She was reported missing on March 10, 2024, and was found at Chandler’s home in Smoke Rise, Ala., two days later, leading to his arrest, WBRC reported.
According to the outlet, she was found after a second search of the residence, during which investigators discovered a hole in the basement wall. Inside that crawlspace, police found a stuffed animal and blankets.
Authorities said Chandler admitted to abducting and raping the girl. Investigators also found his DNA on her clothes, WBRC reported.
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“This case is one of the most disturbing we have seen,” Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey said in April, per the outlet. “A 10-year-old child was taken and concealed inside a wall in a residence. The level of planning, concealment, and abuse involved in this case is difficult to comprehend. Chandler has forfeited his place in a free society.”
Read the original article on People
