A 56-year-old Birmingham man has pleaded guilty to sodomy of a child in Blount County.

Ralph Warren Burg was indicted on six felony charges in 2018.

The victim was a young girl under the age of 12. Details of the abuse have not been made public.

Jury selection was set to begin Monday, but just as prospective jurors were being seated, Burg pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree sodomy. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

“I am very happy for the victim in this case. She has waited a long time to see her perpetrator brought to justice,’’ said Blount County District Attorney Pamela Casey. “But, today, she got an opportunity to stand in court, hear the defendant admit to the crime he perpetrated against her, and see him led away in handcuffs.”

Deputy District Attorney Scott Gilliland said the most important thing to the victim was that he “he would not be able to do this to another child.”

This case was investigated by Blount County sheriff’s Sgt. Ed Hull.

Burg was taken into custody immediately following his guilty plea.