SALISBURY — Mathue Richard Moro, 34, of Salisbury was convicted this week in Rowan County Criminal Superior Court of felony attempted first-degree statutory rape/sex offense and felony indecent liberties with a child.

Judge Lori Hamilton sentenced Moro to a minimum of 125 months to a maximum of 210 months in prison. He  was also ordered to register as a sex offender and submit to satellite-based monitoring.

On Jan. 21, 2016, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a sexual offense involving a child.  The mother reported that her daughter had disclosed that a family friend, later identified as Moro, had inappropriate sexual contact with her sometime between Jan. 6 and Jan. 13, 2016.

The mother informed detectives that she did not initially report the incident to law enforcement because she did not know what to do. She also reported that the defendant was mentally disabled. The child was interviewed at the Terrie Hess House Child Advocacy Center in Salisbury.

District Attorney Brandy Cook said she appreciated the work of Assistant District Attorney Paxton Butler, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrie Hess House in holding Moro accountable for his criminal conduct.