COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A Sherwood Township man was ordered to serve six to 24 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections on Monday in Branch County Circuit Court after he entered a no contest plea to a charge of first degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under the age of 13.
31-year-old Deven Watkins entered into a plea agreement with prosecutors after three cases were filed against him in connection with incidents that according to Branch County court documents took place between 2005 and 2019.
In exchange for his plea, prosecutors dismissed the other two cases which consisted of two other first degree criminal sexual conduct charges as well as a second degree CSC count and a charge of accosting children for immoral purposes.
Watkins was given credit for 197 days already served in jail. He was arrested last April following an investigation by the Michigan State Police after several females came forward.
The plea agreement called for a minimum prison sentence of six years with the court to determine the maximum length.
Watkins must also register with the state as a sex offender. Court records indicate Watkins twice rejected plea offers and was scheduled to go on trial in front of a Circuit Court jury on October 31.
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