A Michigan man was sentenced to serve between 20 to 80 years in a state prison for his role in the sexual assault of a Sharon woman.

Henry Lee Jones, 34, of Benton Harbor, appeared before Mercer County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael J. Wherry Thursday for the sentencing. In October a jury found Jones guilty of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, criminal conspiracy to commit rape, aggravated assault and burglary.

Wherry said he reviewed the case and Jones' past criminal history and decided against labeling Jones a sexual predator.

Jones and another man, Randy J. Norris, 20, formerly of Sharon, attacked a woman in July 2000 in her home in the 800 block of Spearman Avenue. Police said the woman was "brutally beaten" and left for dead. She was hospitalized after the attack. The woman's 2-year-old daughter was also home at the time of the attack.

Norris, who pleaded guilty for his involvement in the attack, is serving 2 to 20 years in a state prison.

Public Defender Paul Powers asked Wherry to consider the emotion of the case when determining Jones' sentence. He said he thinks the jury "was more swayed by the crime itself and not the testimony" during Jones' trial. He said the jury made their decision based on emotion and not evidence.

Jones said being accused and found guilty of the crime has put him in a position he never thought he would find himself in because he is not the attacker. "God's trying to tell me something. Hopefully the good Lord will open up some eyes and let you see you've got the wrong man," Jones said. He added that he's sorry for what happened to the victim.

Assistant District Attorney P. Brian Farrone submitted a letter to Wherry from the victim's mother before Wherry imposed the sentence. Farrone said the victim has moved from the area out of fear. Wherry sentenced Jones on all four charges and all four sentences will be served consecutively, he said.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at kgarrett@sharon-herald.com