WARREN — Brian Christensen, 43, of Niles, was sentenced to 20 to 25 years in prison in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court after pleading guilty Thursday to four counts of rape and four counts of gross sexual imposition involving three child victims.

Christensen, of Beaver Avenue, was indicted on five counts of rape, two counts of attempted rape and eight counts of gross sexual imposition. But he pleaded guilty Thursday to four counts of rape and four counts of gross sexual imposition.

Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Gabe Wildman told Judge Ronald Rice during the hearing that two of the victims “testified in Niles Municipal Court preliminary hearing that these events did not occur.

Wildman said that “Despite those, we were able to proceed and still feel like we would be successful at trial.” Wildman said with all of that in consideration, prosecutors reached a plea agreement for Christensen to plead guilty to three counts of gross sexual imposition and five counts of rape involving multiple victims.

The five rape counts state that Christensen engaged in sexual conduct with another when he purposely compelled the person by force or threat of force.

Wildman said he believes that if the case had gone to trial, the victims who recanted “would have told the true story had they taken the witness stand — that the defendant is a sexual predator.”

Wildman read a long victim impact statement from one of the victims, who expressed so many emotions and thoughts about what happened.

“I still feel shock and fear sometimes,” the victim stated. “I’m getting my justice whether you like it or not.” The victim said, “You successfully ruined my childhood.”

Wildman told Rice the sentence recommendation of 20 to 25 years in prison “is too good for this defendant.”

He said prosecutors have to take into account the impact on a victim having to testify. “This sentence reflects all of these factors,” he said.

As he frequently does at sentencing hearings, Rice asked Christensen to state the things he did in this case, and Christensen said he “touched” one of the victims” in inappropriate areas “over a period of time.” As for the rapes, he agreed when the judge asked if he penetrated a child’s privates.

“I violated (the child) for my own perverse needs,” Christiansen said when Rice asked Christensen if that is what he did.

Rice called Christensen’s actions “one of the most despicable cases I have seen in the 32 years I have been a judge.” When Christensen gets out of prison, he must register his address four times per year for the rest of his life as a sex offender.