COEUR d'ALENE - A 32-year-old Coeur d'Alene man was sentenced Tuesday in a Kootenai County courtroom to up to life in prison for lewd conduct with a girl.

Nicholas J. Ryan also was given two and half years in prison for intimidating and influencing a witness. That term will run concurrently with his sentence for lewd conduct.

Ryan was sentenced by 1st District Court Judge John T. Mitchell, who ordered that the first five years of the lewd conduct sentence will be mandatory. For the remainder of the life term Ryan will be eligible for parole.

Ryan pleaded guilty on Oct. 31.

The lewd conduct charge stemmed from Ryan's genital on genital contact with a 14-year-old girl.

The intimidating a witness offense related to his post-arrest communication with the victim despite a court order against it.

Ryan has been convicted of three prior felony offenses, all of which were drug related.

Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh said, "The sentence was appropriate given the defendant's post-arrest conduct, indicating a desire to continue an illegal and immoral relationship, and his efforts to coerce the victim to lie about the relationship."