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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A Jefferson City man has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing a child.
Ryan Swillum, 25, admitted in Cole County Court to first-degree statutory sodomy involving a child under twelve years old. The abuse occurred between August 2018 and May 2020.
The victim disclosed the abuse to their parents in February 2023, prompting legal action. Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson confirmed that Swillum, as part of his plea, was designated a predatory sexual offender, which carries a mandatory life sentence.
Under Missouri law, the life sentence is calculated to be 30 years, with the possibility of parole after 25.5 years.
