A Niles man charged with criminal sexual conduct perpetrated against a minor in his care will serve two concurrent sentences for his crimes.

Judge Angela Pasula sentenced Saul Mejia, 49, to a minimum of 135 months to a maximum of 40 years for criminal sexual conduct first degree and 71 months to a maximum of 15 years for criminal sexual conduct second degree. Mejia will serve the time in the Michigan Department of Corrections. He has credit for 37 days served.

Mejia pleaded “not guilty” on Dec. 2, 2016. He was convicted on May 5, after a jury trial.

At the time of the assaults, the victim was 15, according to court documents. The victim confessed the crimes to the Children’s Assessment Center.

Addressing the court Monday, the victim’s stepmother said that the girl had faced noticeable distress since the incident.

“This has disrupted every single part of her life,” the woman said. “She just wants to move on with her 16-year-old life. She has done the very best she can. I think it is going to take a long time for her to trust in people and be the person she was before this happened.”

The stepmother added that the crimes committed by Mejia would have an impact the young girl not just today, but for the rest of her life.

Assistant Prosecutor Cortney O’Malley-Septoski also spoke to the gravity of Mejia’s crimes.

“There is no escaping this and no changing this for her,” O’Malley Septoski said. “There is no forgetting this for her. This will affect her every single day of her life.”

O’Malley Septoski said she feared that Mejia could harm other children if he returned to his life as normal.

Defense Attorney Christie Ferguson said that through his life Mejia had often demonstrated that he was a good citizen. He was married for 13 years, had a job and was a volunteer at a dog rescue. He had no prior convictions on his record.

When it was his turn to speak, Mejia declined to comment.

Pasula said Mejia had robbed the victim of her childhood.

“The victim’s childhood was violated in the sanctity of her own home, where she is supposed to be the safest,” Pasula said. “You have robbed her of her childhood and innocence.”

Ferguson said that Mejia would be seeking an appeal.

Mejia will be required to register for lifetime GPS monitoring and to register as a sex offender.

Also sentenced Monday:

• Erin Anderson, 36, of Niles, was charged with larceny in a building, controlled substance possession and embezzlement from a vulnerable adult, less than $200. She was sentenced to two years probation, 45 days on the DOC tether and one day in the Berrien County Jail, with credit for one day served.

• David Winship, 41, of South Bend, was charged with police officer assault/resisting and obstruction and  third degree retail fraud. He was sentenced to 39 days in the Berrien County Jail and had credit for 39 days served. Due to his current probation in Indiana, he did not receive more probation time.