JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A man who was found guilty of multiple charges including child rape and incest in Johnson City was sentenced to 41 years in prison on Tuesday.

A news release from First Judicial District Attorney Steve Finney’s Office said Arbey Lopez was charged with two counts of rape of a child and one count each of aggravated sexual battery and continuous sexual abuse of a child following an indictment handed down in March 2022.

The abuse was first reported to the Johnson City Police Department (JCPD) in July 2021, the release said. The mother of the reported victim reached out to News Channel 11 following Lopez’s arrest in 2022 and said there was no reason it should’ve taken that long for him to be behind bars. The mother criticized backlogged rape kits and forensics holdups for their lengthy wait for an indictment.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Judge Stacy Street sentenced Lopez to serve 41 years with the Tennessee Department of Corrections for his crimes.