Jefferson City man will Sentenced to life in prison

A Jefferson City man will spend life in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree statutory sodomy of a child under 12.

Court records show 25-year-old Ryan Swillum was sentenced Monday to a life term, calculated as 30 years, and will be eligible for parole after serving 25 and a half years.

Prosecutors said the abuse happened between 2018 and 2020 in Jefferson City and came to light after the victim told their parents, who immediately contacted police.

As part of his plea, Swillum admitted to being a predatory sexual offender, making the life sentence mandatory.