A 76-year-old man has been sentenced to one year in prison and five years' probation for third-degree sexual assault of a 5-year-old female relative.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Leilani Tan strongly urged Circuit Judge Michael Town to sentence Patrick Branco Sr. to five years in prison.

"He tore a family apart," Tan said.

But Town, citing the defendant's age and good military record, sentenced him to one year behind bars and five years of probation.

Town agreed that what Branco did to the little girl was "unconscionable and awful."

Branco declined to make a statement to the judge.

In a jury trial earlier this year, Branco was convicted of one count of third-degree sexual assault.

He was acquitted of two other sex assault charges.

Tan said that after the victim reported the assault to her mother and police were notified, Branco's response "was to try to bribe (the mother) with $10,000" to keep quiet about what happened.

The mother's response to Branco was, "You can't buy my daughter's innocence," said Tan.

Tan said she was "disappointed" by the sentence.

Defense attorney Samuel King Jr. said he plans to appeal the case.