A former Butler County man was sentenced Monday to serve 6 to 12 years in state prison for sexually assaulting a girl over the course of 11 years beginning when she was 8 years old.

Harold J. Stahlman, 45, now of Greenville, Tenn., was sentenced in Butler County Common Pleas Court to serve 6 to 12 years in prison followed by 3 years of reentry supervision and ordered to register with state police for the rest of his life after he was found to be a sexually violent predator under Megan’s Law.

Stahlman pleaded guilty to three felony charges of unlawful contact with a minor, three felony charges of corruption of minors and three misdemeanor charges of indecent assault filed by state police. He was initially charged with 610 felony and misdemeanor charges for assaults that took place in a Slippery Rock Township home.

The victim told Judge Maura Palumbi she wants Stahlman to receive the harshest penalty allowed by law for the years of abuse she silently endured through age 19.

She said the abuse was a constant part of her childhood that left her afraid and confused when it began. She said he would apologize and offer her gifts and money, but continued abusing her.

The woman said she still has nightmares and panic attacks and the abuse impacts how she views love and relationships. She said she is worried about having children because of the potential harm they could face in the world.

Speaking to Stahlman, she said, “You knew what you were doing. You knew it was wrong.”

Palumbi told the woman she is brave and said, “If you can overcome this, you can overcome anything.”

Stahlman did not speak before the sentenced was imposed.

The sentence includes three consecutive 12- to 24-month sentences for the three unlawful contact charges, three consecutive 12- to 24-month sentences for the three corruption charges and three consecutive terms of 12 months of reentry supervisions for the three indecent assault charges.