A 59-year-old convicted sex offender has been sentenced to life in prison for the sex abuse of a child.

James Harrison Moore II, of Alabaster, was convicted in October on charges of rape, sodomy and sex abuse of a child under the age of 12.

Moore in 2018 pleaded guilty to sodomy of a child and was sentenced to 20 years in prison with just over three years to serve. He was released from prison in 2021 and was immediately arrested on the new warrants.

A Shelby County jury on Oct. 18 handed down the guilty verdict against Moore after a three-day trial.

Presiding Circuit Judge Bill Bostick sentenced Moore to consecutive life sentences for the rape and sodomy convictions, and to 20 years for the child sex abuse conviction, said Shelby County District Attorney Matt Casey.

Casey said evidence showed that Moore molested a family member who was under the age of 12 when the abuse happened. Jurors heard testimony from several witnesses, including the victim and a separate victim who had been previously abused by Moore.

The latest crimes happened before Moore was sent to prison on the earlier charges.

“In addition to having a strong investigation, we had a strong victim,’’ Casey said. “We are thankful the victim was able to receive justice.”

Chief Deputy District Attorney Ben Fuller and Assistant District Attorney Brooke Grigsby tried the case, which was investigated by the Alabaster Police Department. Owens House Child Advocacy Center also assisted in the investigation.