A man who made off with a Hall County girl in 2016 will spend the rest of his life behind prison bars.
The news of the missing girl made daily headlines when for the 11 days police searched for Stephen Spires, 32, who had made off with his daughter, while in the midst of a custody dispute.
During the search, the daughter, Brooklyn Smith, made calls to an Atlanta TV station. She said during the calls that she was not with her father and had just run away from home. Investigators determined from the calls that she was with her father, but was being coached.
Spires was found with the girl and his girlfriend in a Spalding County motel after someone called in an anonymous tip.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported Spires was sentenced to life plus 120 years Thursday. He was found guilty of child molestation, statutory rape and other charges.
