Austin man sentenced to prison for sexually assaulting child | Crime and Courts

AUSTIN, Minnesota – A Mower County man accused of sexually abusing a child has been sentenced to prison.

James Ray Watkins, 51, of Austin, pleaded guilty to second-degree sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 14. As part of a plea agreement, charges of distributing material related to sexual abuse of a child were dropped.

According to police, Watkins had repeated contact with a victim under the age of 13, both in person and by phone. He also brought the victim items and gave her money. According to court documents, Watkins had sexual conversations with the victim over the phone, showed her a pornographic video featuring adults and a girl, and at one point touched the victim’s buttocks.

Watkins was also convicted of first-degree sexual abuse in Mower County in 2014.

Watkins has now been sentenced to eight years and six months in prison, with credit for 272 days already served. Watkins’ prison sentence will be followed by 99 years of probation.