May 23—ANDERSON — An Elwood man was sentenced to 90 years in prison following his conviction on three counts of child molesting.

Madison Circuit Court Division 4 Judge David Happe sentenced Derrick L. Finch, 38, Elwood, to three consecutive 30-year prison sentences after his conviction at a jury trial last month.

"I'm not going to eat or drink until I get to prison," Finch said in a statement to the court.

He also informed the court he wants to appeal his conviction.

Deputy prosecutor Kristin Kane during her statement asked that Finch receive the 90-year prison sentence.

Kane said aggravating circumstances included Finch's three prior felony conviction for assault.

"This was separate conduct," she said. "This happened more than the three times he has been charged."

In pronouncing a sentence, Happe said Finch has a substantial criminal history and violated a position of trust.

"You forced a child to deal with a sexual relationship with an adult," Happe said. "The evidence at trial was that there were many more incidents. This was not a lapse of judgement."

Happe said the state's request for a 90-year executed sentence is reasonable and appropriate.

During a Kids Talk interview this year, a girl, then 11 years old, said she had been inappropriately touched during a four-month period of time in 2018.

Kids Talk "provides a child-friendly location where children can report sexual or physical abuse, neglect or their memory of a violent incident in a safe and comforting environment," according to the local organization's website.

The girl also said during the Kids Talk interview that Finch would state how much he loved her and indicated he would marry her when she turned 18.

"The suspect would constantly reassure her that she was fine, and everyone wouldn't second guess what was happening or do anything about it because no one would believe her," Detective Ben Gosnell wrote in the probable cause affidavit.

At some point, the girl through her own research realized that what was taking place was inappropriate, the court document states.

Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.