Man sentenced to nearly 1,000 years in prison. Here’s why

DOTHAN, Ala. (WTVY/Gray News) – A judge in Alabama imposed the longest non-life prison sentence in Houston County history Thursday.

Jurors returned guilty verdicts March 11 after about 30 minutes of deliberations. They found Alphonzo Sanders guilty of charges that included rape and sodomy of a child.

Circuit Judge Christopher K. Richardson ordered Sanders to serve 891 years in prison.

Assistant District Attorney Michaela Cochrane called the sentence a statement of accountability, saying it reflects the seriousness of the crimes and the impact on the victim.

She said spectators in the courtroom stood and applauded after Richardson announced the punishment.

The sentence surpasses what appears to be the previous record in the county for a non-life term. In 2019, Circuit Judge Todd Derrick sentenced another defendant to 615 years for child sex crimes.