UTICA - Emotions ran high during Friday's sentencing of Michael Chicherchia. The 27-year-old will be spending 23 years to life behind bars for sexually assaulting a six year-old girl.

Every key player involved in this process made themselves heard Friday morning, especially Chicherchia - who spoke for several minutes on a wide range of issues.

The mother of the six year-old girl took to the podium Friday. We are not revealing her identity because of her relation to the victim.

She spoke about the friendship she and Chicherchia had, and how she hopes he never gets out of prison.

Leeland McCormack, Chicherchia's Defense Attorney, gave a few words about how he felt he defended Chicherchia to his utmost ability, despite the defendant wanting a new lawyer.

Assistant District Attorney Doug DeMarche then delivered his words to the judge, saying Chicherchia created the opportunity to abuse the girl.

While Chicherchia tried to paint a different picture of himself - in an attempt to receive a lesser sentence.

"He played on the maternal instinct...the strongest instinct...the instinct to keep your child safe - while in the meantime, he was terrorizing and sexually abusing her six year-old daughter," DeMarche said.

"Nine years ago I was homeless," Chicherchia told the court. "Before I was arrested, I was running my own business. There is nobody out there who is more of a proud American than myself."

Chicherchia also apologized for his outburst in the courtroom in June during DeMarche's closing arguments.

He says he became frustrated because of what he says were lies in DeMarche's statements.