CASSOPOLIS — A 20-year-old man from Jones who had sex with a 14-year-old Cass County girl was sentenced to five years of probation last Friday in Cass County Circuit Court.

Derek Snodgrass met the girl on the online social networking Web site Facebook in July 2010.

According to the pre-sentence report, the girl told Snodgrass she was 17. They arranged meetings and engaged in sexual intercourse.

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Frank Machnik brought before the court Aug. 12 a police report that revealed the girl said she had told Snodgrass that she was 14 and the sex wasn’t consensual.

It was the first time Judge Michael Dodge had seen that report.

He said the conflicting reports had become a “he said, she said” situation.

“I don’t know who’s telling the truth, but either way you had no business having sex with her,” Dodge told Snodgrass. “You should have suspected she was underage.”

The girl’s father spoke in court and said, “I’ve not had a decent night sleep since (the incident).”

“I’ve taken to sleeping with a loaded gun at my nightstand,” he said.

The man also said he had lost work due to two previous sentencings that were adjourned.

Defense attorney Dale Blunier pointed out his client has “accepted responsibility through the entire investigation” and has no prior criminal record.

For his part, Snodgrass was remorseful.

“I want to apologize for my actions that led to all this turmoil,” he said.

A restitution hearing will take place at a later date.

The victim’s family is requesting $2,437 in restitution.