A Landrum man pleaded guilty Monday, Nov. 16 in Polk County Superior Court for statutory rape and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Zachary Shehan, who was 26 at the time of his arrest last year, pleaded guilty to three counts of statutory rape and one count of solicit child by computer, according to Polk County court records.

Shehan was sentenced to 240-348 months in prison, according to court records.

The sentencing occurred during Polk County Superior Court, which began on Monday.

Shehan, of Boysenberry Lane, Landrum, was arrested in September 2014 after parents alerted the Polk sheriff’s office Shehan had been involved in an inappropriate relationship with their daughter.

Detectives determined during their investigation that there was sufficient evidence to validate that an inappropriate relationship had occurred.

Polk County Sheriff Donald Hill said at the time of Shehan’s arrest that these type cases occur more frequently than they should and the sheriff’s office will continue to actively pursue individuals who prey on underage children. Sheriff Hill also encouraged parents to be conscious of their children’s activities and to monitor their use of cell phones and social media sites.

Shehan was originally booked under a $100,000 bond was but released after making bond.