A former Warren City police officer convicted of engaging in rape, as well as other sexual conduct with several women while on the job has learned his fate on Thursday.

Michael Edwards Jr. was handed an indefinite sentence of 34 to 39 years in prison on two counts of rape, four counts of gross sexual imposition and three counts of sexual battery, all with firearm specifications, as well as two counts of extortion, two counts of dereliction of duty and two counts of theft in office.

Once released, he must also register as a tier 3 sex offender every 90 days for the rest of his life. Edwards was facing a life sentence if the judge deemed him a violent sexual offender. Judge Cynthia Rice felt their was not enough evidence to support that he met that specification but did criticize him before handing down the more lenient sentence.

“The defendant preyed on women who were vulnerable due to their current life situations," Judge Rice said. "The court finds that these women were the citizens this defendant was obligated as an officer of the law to protect and yet he preyed on them instead.”

The charges stem from inappropriate sexual conduct Edwards engaged in with several women while on duty as a Warren City police officer. Nearly all of these women were either prostitutes or drug addicts.

Edwards would threaten to leak sensitive information about these victims if they did not submit to his sexual advances saying things like "what are you going to do to keep me quiet" to a victim.

The dereliction of duty and theft in office charges stem from the fact that these crimes were committed while he was on the job, meaning he was being paid taxpayers' money, but was not performing the work he was paid to do.

Edwards was originally charged in connection with one victim. This charge led to his immediate termination from the police department. Since then several more victims came forward with stories about their experiences with Edwards leading to several more charges being filed.

One of these victims, as well as a representative for another victim appeared at Thursday's sentencing hearing to deliver impact statements.

The first victim said Edwards's conduct has breached her trust in not only law enforcement, but authority in general. She also said Edwards preyed on her during her weakest point in life.

A representative for another victim read a statement from that victim that said she hopes Edwards remembers the hurt and fear he caused in her, as well as his other victims during his time in prison.

Edwards himself did not address the court. His attorney Dave Betras told Judge Cynthia Rice that this is because he maintains his innocence in the most serious charges in this case.

Betras says Edwards has taken full responsibility for the dereliction of duty charges.

Following the sentencing, civil rights attorney Bobby DiCello held a press conference in downtown Warren regarding Edwards and his conduct.

DiCello, who represented one of the victims in this case and praised the prosecution and the officers that assisted in the investigation in this case, but questioned how Edwards got away with this conduct for so long and what the police department and city knew prior to the charges being filed.

"How did this repeated dereliction of duty sexual abuser stay in power? How did he keep his job? How did he get employed? What standards do we have in law enforcement today that dictate how it is an when it is that officers get investigated for their actions," DiCello asked.

DiCello went on to say in order to avoid incidents like this from happening again, the public needs to demand accountability and transparency from their local police departments.

"[Edwards] is a psychopath. The convictions prove he is a psychopath wearing a badge. How does a psychopath get in office and power and ruin lives," DiCello said.

Another attorney at the press conference, Ken Abbarno, slammed Betras for comments he made to Judge Rice during the sentencing where he expressed concern for how Edwards would be treated in prison due to his former status as a police officer.

Attorney Abbarno said those comments were disrespectful to the victims and called Edwards a "demon."

"How ironic is it that a plea by the demon's lawyer to please look out for him because every day he goes into jail having worn a badge, it puts him in harm's way. How disrespectful is that to everybody he abused," the attorney said.

DiCello said his client is demanding a sit down with Warren city leaders. If that happens, they say they will discuss a way to vet police officers before they join the force and a system for other officers to report bad behavior while on the job.

DiCello said they are prepared to file a civil lawsuit against the city if they don’t agree to a meeting. 

Warren City Law Director Enzo Canatlmessa said they have not been formally contacted by the attorneys about their demands and have no comment. Prosecutor Gabe Wildman previously told 21 News that he doesn’t believe Edwards' actions reflect others at the Warren Police Department.

DiCello declined to say if his client will ask for any monetary value if they file a civil lawsuit.