Gerald Burton of Ishpeming, Michigan, was sentenced to three consecutive prison terms carrying a combined minimum of 45 years.Gerald Burton of Ishpeming, Michigan, was sentenced to three consecutive prison terms carrying a combined minimum of 45 years after a jury convicted him in May on nine criminal sexual conduct charges involving five victims.Marquette County Circuit Court sentenced Burton to 15 to 60 years on each of three first-degree criminal sexual conduct counts in one case, with the terms ordered to run consecutively.He was also sentenced to five to 15 years and six to 15 years in two separate cases for third-degree criminal sexual conduct by force or coercion. In a fourth case, he received 15 to 60 years for first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving injury to an incapacitated victim and one to two years each on two fourth-degree counts. A fifth case brought a 10-to-60-year sentence for first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving personal injury, according to TV6 News Team.Five victims testified at May trialFive victims testified at Burton's trial in May, while he maintained that all the sexual encounters had been consensual.Jurors returned their verdict after about three hours of deliberations, following closing arguments by Marquette County Prosecutor Jenna Nelson and defence attorney Karl Numinen.Numinen argued that all the encounters were consensual and that prosecutors had not proved the charges. Nelson challenged that defence in rebuttal, pointing to similarities involving the five victims.In the case involving his former girlfriend, Burton acknowledged that they had argued but denied their disputes became physical. He said he suspected infidelity and maintained that she consented when he asked her to undress and let him examine her genital area.A former co-worker testified about a November 2019 encounter, saying she and Burton had had consensual sex before that night. She said Burton forced her to perform oral sex and then raped her. Burton disputed her account and said she initiated the sexual activity.Police appeal led to two new casesThe case widened after Burton's initial arrest on felony criminal sexual conduct charges arising from two cases. The original cases carried five counts — three first-degree and two fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct charges.Police publicly sought information from others connected to the allegations after Burton's first arrest. Two other victims then contacted detectives, and Burton was later charged with one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in each of two new cases.After the verdict, Nelson said she hoped the outcome would encourage people to report sexual assault even years later, including those who may ask themselves, “what’s the point in coming forward now, am I going to be believed”.