ATHENS, Ohio (WCMH) — A Columbus man will spend eight years behind bars for raping an Athens County woman in 2017.

Athens County Judge Patrick Lang sentenced 27-year-old Marcus J. Kegg to eight years in prison on Tuesday, June 13, about two weeks after a jury found him guilty of the November 2017 rape of a woman in Athens County, according to court records.

Kegg’s version of events reportedly changed “drastically” throughout the course of the investigation and trial, Athens County Prosecutor Keller J. Blackburn said in a news release.

Initially, Kegg claimed to his victim’s roommate that the encounter never happened, Blackburn said. But during his testimony at trial, Kegg contended that the rape was consensual and admitted during cross-examination that he lied to the victim’s roommate.

“I live with the fact that Marcus Kegg has no respect for me,” the victim told the court, “but I am so grateful that 12 jurors that day did and heard my story.”

Prosecutors asked Lang to issue Kegg the maximum prison sentence for first-degree rape — 11 years — while defense attorneys requested the minimum sentence of three years, according to Blackburn. Lang chose the middle ground, landing at an eight-year sentence.

Upon release from prison, Kegg wil be required to register as a Tier III sex offender.