Man sentenced to life after being convicted of sexual battery and child molestation

A Coast man is sentenced to life behind bars for sexual battery and touching of a child for lustful purposes.

James Cooper was found guilty by a Harrison County jury last week.

The jury heard a testimony from the victim, now an adult, about how Cooper sexually assaulted her at a home when she was 10.

The victim told a therapist about the assault while at school with the therapist testifying how they were informed of the assault.

Detectives with the Long Beach Police Department were able to locate three prior victims, all three testifying how Cooper sexually assaulted them when they were between the ages of 8 and 16 years old.

Cooper will serve his life sentence in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.