Keith Brown, father of The 5 Browns piano group , sentenced to 10 years in jail for sodomy, sexual abuse on daughters

PROVO, Utah -- The father of the renowned piano group The 5 Browns was sentenced Thursday to serve at least 10 years in prison on charges that he sexually abused his three daughters when they were children.

Keith S. Brown, 55, pleaded guilty in February to one felony count of sodomy of a child and two felony counts of sexual abuse of a child.

Fourth District Judge David Mortensen sentenced Brown to 10 years to life on the first count and 15 years to life for each of the others. The sentences will run concurrently, but Brown will have to serve at least 10 years under the plea agreement.

"I do believe, sir, that you are a pedophile and I do believe that you are a danger to society," Mortensen said before handing down the sentence.

Brown had been free pending the sentencing but was led away by a bailiff after Thursday's hearing to be taken to the Utah State Prison.

Brown's three daughters Desirae, 32, Deondra, 30 and Melody, 26 and two sons make up The 5 Browns, whose albums have topped the classical music charts and who have appeared on "Oprah," "60 Minutes" and other programs.

Keith Brown once served as manager of his children's group, but they severed their professional relationship with him in 2008.

The Brown sisters remain estranged from their father. They reported the abuse to Lone Peak police last year after learning that their father planned to begin working with other young musicians.

The Associated Press does not generally identify people who say they were sexually abused, but the Brown sisters have chosen to be identified.

Kimball Thomson, a spokesman for group, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that sisters weren't in court Thursday because they are on tour. All three wrote letters to the judge expressing their feelings about the case, Thomson said. The letters are not public.

"The girls don't want to make any statements about the case right now," Thomson said.

Deputy Utah County Attorney David Sturgill on Thursday called Brown's daughters courageous and said he was satisfied with the negotiated plea and the sentence. Sturgill has said the three charges don't reflected the years-long pattern of abuse suffered by Brown's children.