Walter Meyerle Update: Pa. man gets life in prison after being convicted of molesting 15 children

(CBS/AP) DOYLESTOWN, Pa. - Walter Meyerle, a serial child molester who was accused of tattooing a 15-year-old girl in exchange for sexual favors, will spend the rest of his life in prison for crimes committed against 15 children.

A Bucks County judge sentenced the 36-year-old Meyerle on Thursday to 494 to 982 years behind bars.

In August 2012, the judge convicted Meyerle of 170 counts of molesting boys and girls ages 4 to 17. The crimes spanned 13 years, from 1997 to 2010.

According to the The Doylestown Intelligencer, Meyerle was arrested in May 2011 after police said he tattooed a girl in return for sexual favors.

The investigation led authorities to identify other victims, most of them the children of Meyerle's friends and girlfriends.

The Intelligencer reports that the sentencing hearing took nearly four hours because of numerous victim impact statements.

More on CrimesiderMarch 18, 2011 - Tattoo for Sex: Pa. man made "trade" with 14-year-old girl, say cops, worried about other victims