An Oakwood man was sentenced to 15 years in prison Tuesday after pleading guilty to molesting a 14-year-old girl.

Robert Patrick Loggins, 49, pleaded guilty to two counts of child molestation and was sentenced by Hall County Superior Court Judge Jason Deal to 40 years, with 15 to serve in prison and the remainder on probation. Loggins must also register as a sex offender after his release and must pay restitution of up to $10,000 for counseling for the victim.

Loggins knew the victim, and she was repeatedly fondled at his Oakwood home between May and June 2006, according to prosecutors.

Loggins acknowledged his role from the beginning and twice before expressed a desire to plead guilty, said his public defender, Larry Duttweiler.

Prosecutors agreed to drop a count of aggravated sexual battery that carried a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in exchange for the guilty plea and to avoid a trial.

The plea was “open-ended,” meaning Deal could have imposed a sentence of up to 40 years in prison. The judge followed the prosecution’s sentencing recommendation.

The victim, now 16, briefly addressed the court by reading aloud a written statement, telling the judge she felt “rage and pain.” She said she used the demands of school and extracurricular activities to distract her from what was done.

Loggins expressed remorse to the court, saying he was “very sorry for what happened.”

“I’m sorry for what I’ve done to her, and I hope everything works out OK,” Loggins said.