A Knox County man convicted of molesting his five-year-old granddaughter will now serve 12 years in prison following a plea deal.

David Wanke Sr. was originally sentenced to 60 years in 2023, but the Indiana Court of Appeals overturned the conviction. A second trial in March of this year ended in a hung jury, and a third trial was scheduled.

Knox County Prosecutor Dirk Carnahan said the child would have faced further harm if required to testify again. To prevent that, and for that reason alone, Wanke was allowed to plead guilty to the next most serious charge. He received the maximum sentence of 12 years at a sentencing hearing Friday morning.

Carnahan acknowledged that the outcome falls short of what he believes justice demands but was adamant that protecting the child was the top priority.

The prosecutor added that his office remains aggressive in child sex abuse cases and is committed to seeking lengthy sentences whenever possible.