ST. JOHNS — A DeWitt Township man will spend at least 18 years in prison after repeatedly raping a 13-year-old girl and locking her in his trailer home for weeks.

A jury found Austin Woodbury, 23, guilty of five counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, assault with the intent to do great bodily harm less than murder and distribution of marijuana.

He was sentenced Monday to 18 to 70 years in prison.

During the three weeks she spent locked in Woodbury's trailer, the 13-year-old tried to kill herself, Clinton County Prosecutor Chuck Sherman said. She testified at an earlier hearing that she felt like a puppet, and was "reduced to nothing."

Sherman said the teen had been dealt a "really crappy hand." Prior to meeting Woodbury, she had been abused and abandoned by her mom. Woodbury knew that, he said.

"He took somebody who was at a miserable point in her life and made it so bad that she thought killing herself would be an improvement," Sherman said.

Woodbury expressed remorse at his sentencing hearing Monday.

"There's no excuses for any of my actions," he said. "Nothing I could say would amount to an excuse."

He met the 13-year-old on Facebook. They chatted through the messaging app and developed a friendship, the girl testified during a preliminary hearing.

He drove several hours from DeWitt Township to pick her up after a fight with a family member. She had a bag packed and left with him through her bedroom window.

"No matter what the costs were, I couldn't be there anymore," she testified. "I refused to be there and so I ran away from it all. But I shouldn't have."

The teen did not attend the sentencing hearing Monday.

Woodbury held the 13-year-old in his trailer for three weeks.

During that time, he repeatedly raped her, Sherman said. He locked the door from the outside so she could not leave.

Once, when she tried to escape, Woodbury tracked her down and locked her back in his trailer, Clinton County Circuit Court Judge Michelle Rick said.

She described his actions in one word: "Horrific."

When the jury returned with its verdict Nov. 8, some jurors wept, Rick said. Woodbury should not be defined by the worst thing he's done, she said, but he had plenty of opportunities to make a different choice.

Woodbury's attorney, Dustyn Coontz, said although Woodbury's actions were terrible, people are capable of change. Woodbury had a traumatic childhood, something that can "rewire the brain" and lead them to traumatize others. That's what happened here, Coontz said.

He described Woodbury as a "kind and thoughtful person" and said Woodbury planned to take advantage of opportunities he receives in prison.

Woodbury will have to register as a sex offender and pay court costs and fines. Once released, he'll be on GPS monitoring.

Contact reporter Kara Berg at 517-377-1113 or kberg@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @karaberg95.