A 67-year-old repeat sex offender was sentenced yesterday morning to two years in prison after making a plea agreement in the Athens County Court of Common Pleas.

Wilbur "Bud" Taylor pleaded guilty to two counts of gross sexual imposition, a third degree felony. In exchange for his plea, a third charge of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, also a third degree felony, was dismissed.

Taylor admitted to having sexual contact with two of his step-grandchildren over a six-month period in 1996. One child was a 7-year-old boy and the other was a 5-year-old girl.

In a short statement before the sentencing, Taylor fought tears as he apologized for his actions.

The Court labeled Taylor a habitual sex offender. For 20 years after he is released from prison, he will be required to register his address with the sheriff of the county in which he lives each year. The sheriff will notify law enforcement officers, school officials and area residents of Taylor's prior convictions.

These notification measures now are required for repeat sex offenders under Megan's Law, passed in 1996 after a 7-year-old New Jersey girl was raped and murdered by a twice-convicted sex offender in her neighborhood.

Michael R. Huff, Athens County assistant prosecuting attorney, said Taylor was convicted of similar sex charges involving the abuse of members of his family in the late 1960's. Taylor went to prison but was released before serving the entire sentence. Later he returned to prison after a parole violation. Altogether, he served more than ten years and was released in the early 1980's.

The maximum sentence Taylor could have received was 3 years.