BAY MINETTE – After more than 15 years of eluding local, federal and international authorities, an accused child rapist will stand trial.

Giusseppe Pino LoPorto, 79, formerly of Fairhope, was sentenced last week in a Baldwin County courtroom to 10 years in jail for jumping bail in 1998. In the ensuing years, he was arrested twice by foreign authorities, only to flee while local officials tried to work out extradition.

The sentence, issued by Circuit Judge Joe Norton, will ensure that LoPorto will remain in Baldwin County to face the 28-count indictment of sexual abuse, sodomy and rape handed down by a 1996 grand jury.

“LoPorto may be an old man now, but he has thumbed his nose at the justice system for more than 15 years and deserves no sympathy,” District Attorney Hallie Dixon said. “Local and federal justice and law enforcement agencies expended massive resources hunting him down and bringing him back to the United States to face trial. Our office and the victim look forward to having Mr. LoPorto finally face a jury of his peers for the original charges that he has run from all these years.”

LoPorto is accused of assaulting a female relative over a 10-year period, starting in 1985 when the victim was only 7 or 8. Current Baldwin County Sheriff Huey “Hoss” Mack was the lead investigator 17 years ago. The information led to LoPorto being charged with 14 counts of first degree sexual abuse, 13 counts of sodomy and one count of rape.

He was free on a $250,000 bond and scheduled to go to trial on April 13, 1998. He fled Baldwin County that day and became the subject of an international manhunt. In 2002, he was featured on the television show “America’s Most Wanted.”

Investigators got a break in 2005 when Loporto published the book “The Other Face of America: A True Story” using his real name. The Federal Bureau of Investigation tracked him down to Cortina, Italy, where he was arrested. He was released from jail and fled the country during the extradition process. Five years later, he was arrested again in Holland. He again fled when released in 2010.

The third time was a charm in 2012. Italian officials kept LoPorto in custody until he could be turned over to Baldwin County officials. He returned to Alabama in late May 2012. He was found guilty of bail jumping at the trial in February.

During sentencing last week, Norton denied a defense motion to delay sentencing and a request to consider LoPorto’s 11 months already in jail. Instead, the judge handed down the maximum sentence allowed by law.

“You have created this monster,” Norton said to LoPorto. “You will spend every day of your life for the next 10 years in prison.”

LoPorto, who will turn 80 on July 15, will remain in jail until he faces the original sexual abuse charge. Officials have not set a date for that trial.