SYCAMORE – A DeKalb man convicted of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child involving a 6-year-old girl could spend the rest of his life in prison.

On Tuesday, Chief Judge Robbin Stuckert sentenced Jeremiah P. Riggs, of the 1100 block of Market Street, DeKalb, to 63 years in prison. Under state sentencing rules, Riggs will be required to serve 85 percent of his sentence.

The judge said that it likely was a life sentence for the 37-year-old man. She told Riggs that his actions had a profound effect on his family.

“You’ve destroyed that,” Stuckert said.

A jury convicted Riggs of nine counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child in September. He has been in jail since he was arrested in December 2013.

A month later, a grand jury returned a 15-count indictment against Riggs that accused him of repeatedly raping the girl, who was 6 years old at the time of his arrest.

During a hearing Wednesday, First Assistant State’s Attorney Stephanie Klein asked the judge to sentence Riggs to 90 years in prison. DeKalb County Public Defender Tom McCulloch, who represented Riggs at the trial, has asked for the minimum sentence of 54 years.

The most emotional testimony of the day came from Amie Riggs, the former wife of the defendant.

Amie Riggs took the stand to make a statement to the judge before the sentencing.

“Every single person whose life you touched feels guilty,” she said. “... You need to atone for your mistakes – I’m sure they were mistakes.”

Amie Riggs asked the judge for leniency for her former husband. She said that she hoped he would have a chance to be a father to his children.

Jeremiah Riggs declined to make a statement before he was sentenced. However, he did raise issues about the effectiveness of his attorney at trial and asked for a new trial. The judge denied that motion.

McCulloch called the minimum sentence “extraordinarily long.” He called a jail minister to testify about Jeremiah Rigg’s time in custody. Philip Meier said he had seen Riggs mature over time and had witnessed a progression in his faith.

Riggs remained at the DeKalb County Jail as of Tuesday night awaiting a transfer to a state prison.