In his closing argument, prosecutor Chris Hoffman compared Frank Pruitt, accused of raping three girls as young as 7, to a convenience store.

Instead of food deliveries, Mr. Pruitt received young girls.

In the courtroom of Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Donna Jo McDaniel, a jury yesterday convicted the recipient but not the delivery woman.

Mr. Pruitt, 58, of Hazelwood, was found guilty on all counts, including rape of a child, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of a child. The victims were 7, 8 and 9 when the rapes occurred over a span of several years.

Now 14, the victims testified that Mr. Pruitt raped them multiple times, usually during overnight visits.

The mother of one of the victims, -- who is not identified because to do so would identify her daughter, a victim of sexual abuse -- was acquitted on charges of sexual exploitation, endangering the welfare of a child and conspiracy to commit a crime for leaving her daughter with Mr. Pruitt.

On the witness stand, she denied having a prearranged setup with Mr. Pruitt to hand over her daughter in exchange for money or drugs, as prosecutors alleged. She said she had known Mr. Pruitt all her life and didn't suspect him of wrongdoing.

"She's my only daughter," said the 28-year-old mother. "I would never put her in a position like this."

One of the victims testified against Mr. Pruitt at a 2006 trial that resulted in a hung jury. Since then, two more came forward, and the case was retried.

The first victim said she was raped multiple times at age 7 when her mother left her with Mr. Pruitt to go out partying. The second victim said Mr. Pruitt raped her several times, but she continued to go to his apartment because it wasn't filthy like her grandmother's, where she was staying.

The third victim, whose mother was charged, said Mr. Pruitt raped her once when she was 9, then held her down while another man raped her when she was 12. After the second rape, she testified, her mother came back to Mr. Pruitt's house to clean her up and bring a change of clothes.

The mother denied those claims on the stand.

Mr. Pruitt's attorney, Michelle Collins, tried to discredit the testimony of the three girls, arguing that it was inconsistent and not backed up by physical evidence.

"One thing we all know is that children lie," Ms. Collins told the jury in her closing. "They tell false stories and they do it for a variety of reasons. ... [Prosecutors] want you to say [Mr. Pruitt] is a monster, and they want you to do it on this vague and incredible testimony you've heard today."

Mr. Hoffman said the three girls did not know one another before the trial, nor were they related. Considering all they had to go through in bringing a case to court and testifying, he argued, it didn't make sense for the girls to make up such stories.

"This must be the worst coincidence of Frank Pruitt's life, that these three girls came out of the woodwork," Mr. Hoffman said.

Greta Erick of Braddock Hills, foster mother of the victim whose mother was on trial, said that despite the verdict she will maintain custody of the child, as she has for more than a year.

Ms. Erick said she was happy to see Mr. Pruitt convicted, but disappointed that the mother would go free.

"That child's mother caused the whole thing," she said. "That little girl is really highly upset right now."