SANDPOINT — A former Sandpoint man was sentenced in absentia Friday to life in prison following his conviction on a trio of child sex-abuse charges.

Steven Ronald Ennis Jr., 55, will have to serve at least 20 years in prison before he can be considered for parole, according to the terms of the sentence imposed by 1st District Judge Barbara Buchanan.

Ennis, who has remained in custody since the case emerged in 2017, declined to appear in court when the guilty verdicts were read or in subsequent post-conviction proceedings which included a motion for a new trial.

Ennis’s post-trial counsel, Spokane Valley attorney Doug Phelps, advised the court his client would not participate in the sentencing hearing and would resist if forced to take part.

A Bonner County jury convicted Ennis in October on one count of lewd and lascivious conduct and two counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Ennis was accused of fondling an 11-year-old’s breasts and genitalia, in addition to exposing her to pornography, in 2014 and 2015.

Ennis took the stand in his own defense during the trial. He categorically denied the charges and told jurors he was in California at the time of the alleged abuse, although jurors found the alleged victim’s testimony to be more credible than his own.

The state sought a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison because Ennis has a prior child sex abuse conviction in California.

Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall said Ennis was the epitome of a career criminal due to his lengthy prior criminal history, extensive use of multiple aliases and overarching desire to gratify his impulses without regard to their impact on others.

Marshall recommended a determinate life sentence and praised the fortitude of the sexual abuse survivor, who is now in her mid-teens, as the case was prosecuted and tried. Marshall noted that Ennis made taunting remarks to the teen during the proceedings.

“For her to stand up to that is really nothing short of amazing,” Marshall said.

Phelps reminded the court that Ennis continues to profess his innocence and called for imposition of the mandatory minimum sentence. Phelps argued that between Ennis’s age and health problems such a term would essentially amount to a life sentence sought by the state.

“It gives the prosecutor what he’s asking for,” said Phelps.

Buchanan said Ennis’s prior criminal history and newly minted convictions made it unclear whether he could ever be released.

“I don’t know that rehabilitation would be possible in this case,” added Buchanan, who also commended the survivor for her composure during the trial.

Buchanan imposed a 20-year-to-life term on the lewd conduct conviction and imposed concurrent 20- to 25-year terms on the sex abuse counts.

The survivor’s mother said Ennis stole her daughter’s innocence and those of others who may not have come forward to report the abuse.

“There’s more, I’m sure of that. He can’t be let out to do this to someone else,” she said.

The woman’s daughter agreed.

“I don’t want it to happen to anyone else,” the teen told the court.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.