Taney County Prosecuting Attorney, Jeffrey M. Merrell announced today that MICHAEL L. ERB, dob: 8/11/1968 of Hollister, Missouri was sentenced yesterday by Taney County Circuit Judge Mark Orr to ten (10) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for two counts of the class B felony of child molestation in the first degree. Probation was denied and both counts are to run concurrent. On December 1, 2009 a bench trial was held in Christian County on a change of venue motion filed by the defense.

Between May 1 and November 15, 2005 the defendant subjected two separate victims under the age of fourteen to sexual contact during sleepovers at his house in Hollister, Missouri. The Hollister Police Department investigated the allegations and the forensic interviews of the minor children were performed by the Child Advocacy Center in Branson West.

The class B felony of child molestation in the first degree has a range of punishment of five (5) to fifteen (15) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.