Joplin child rapist given life sentence in prison

A 50-year-old man from Joplin has been given a life sentence in prison for sexually abusing a young girl.

Robert Shields was convicted of numerous charges related to sexual abuse he committed on the young girl, which began when she was 7-years-old and which then lasted for about seven years in total.

In addition to the life sentence, Shields was also given more than 120 more years behind bars for all of his crimes.