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CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) 29-year-old Timothy Aaron Tucker of Arkansas was sentenced to 7 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to Gross Sexual Imposition for having sexual contact with an 8-year-old female in Barnes County. 

States Attorney Carl Martineck says the state recommended 10 years followed by 10 years of supervised probation, based on the threat of serious psychological harm to the child and the defendant’s failure to recognize that harm. 

Tucker’s attorney Mark Blumer argued that Tucker does not have an extensive criminal history, and is unlikely to re-offend based on a psychological and criminological test.

Judge Jay Schmitz sentenced Tucker to 10 years, but suspended three years of the sentence. Tucker will be on supervised probation for 10 years after his release and will be required to register as a sex offender for at least 15 years after his release.