A man was sentenced Thursday to 38 years in prison for child sex crimes, Palm Beach County State Attorney Alexcia Cox announces.

Edward P. Patterson was previously convicted of five counts of lewd or lascivious battery and one count of lewd or lascivious molestation. The crimes occurred between 2016 and 2017.

The victim testified that the abuse began when she was 13 years old and in the seventh grade and continued for approximately 18 months.

Following the jury’s verdict on August 27, the court designated Patterson a sexual offender.

Assistant State Attorneys Amanda McCabe and Alexa Ruggiero of the Special Victims Unit prosecuted the case.