Courtesy Photo­Image Donald Warfield

After a lengthy investigation, Donald L. Warfield, 69, of North Platte was arrested Monday and charged with first degree sexual assault of a child.

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The alleged female victim, now 15 years old, told authorities that Warfield began inappropriately touching her when she was seven and his assaults progressed for 3-4 years, according to a North Platte Police spokesman.

In Nebraska, there is no statute of limitations on child sexual assault. The alleged victim matured and grew confident before telling authorities what happened to her, the spokesman said.

Warfield was already a registered sex offender as a result of a 2002 conviction of third-degree sexual assault on an 11-year-old female living in a camper near the victim’s residence at the time of the latest alleged sexual assault, police said.

Warfield was previously arrested April 19 for failing to register as a sex offender, a felony. That charge was reduced to an attempted felony, which is an misdemeanor.

Warfield is currently in jail. His bond is set at $250,000. He told Lincoln County Judge Kent Turnbull that he is disabled and relies on social security income. He used a walker to appear before the video screen connected to the courtroom.

If convicted, Warfield faces a minimum sentence of 20 years and a maximum of life.

Police encourage parents to talk to children about sexual abuse.

“Often we rely on our school counselors or staff to have conversations with children about inappropriate touching, but in reality parents or guardians should be encouraging their children to speak about this matter on a regular basis,” North Platte Police Officer Rodney Brown said.