Homeless man sentenced to prison & then 45 years’ supervised release for Harrison County West Virginia sex assault of Kentucky runaway – WV News

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WV News) A homeless Clarksburg man whose sexual assault of a 12-year-old runaway from Kentucky is expected to impact her for life was sentenced Wednesday to prison, to be followed by 45 years of supervised release.

Harrison Circuit Judge Chris McCarthy imposed sentence on Christopher Lee Watson, 32, who was living out of a truck in Anmoore and is alleged to have committed the crime there.

I think its more than fair to say this is a very serious crime. In fact, any crime against children is serious, McCarthy said.

Watsons criminal history dates back to 2006; he has at least two prior felonies; he has an antisocial behavior problem; he is unwilling to accept full responsibility; and, perhaps most concerning, Watson is a moderate to high risk to reoffend, McCarthy said in rejecting an alternative sentence.

Watson also must register as a sex offender for life.

McCarthy handed down sentence after hearing veteran Assistant Prosecutor Brad Pustolski opine this third-degree sexual assault was the most egregious of that offense hes seen. Pustolski deemed it violent and disturbing.

Defense attorney Dean Morgan requested the maximum 7-year probationary term with inpatient drug treatment. Additionally, Morgan asked the court to follow that with the lowest supervised release term that McCarthy would feel comfortable imposing.

When a dispute occurred, Watson told the girl to leave the truck, and she did, with limited if any clothing on, prompting bystanders to call 911, Assistant Prosecutor Pustolski said.

The defendant gave incriminating statements to both officers who first responded and the lead investigator, Harrison Sheriffs Sgt. Harley Lane, according to Pustolski.

During the August plea hearing, Watson also told the court he had been going to methadone clinics for five years prior to his arrest: One year in Harrison County, and four years in Baltimore. The defendant has been clean for the approximate year hes spent in jail, he told McCarthy then.

Watson receives credit for 393 days hes spent in jail pending prosecution.

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Homeless man sentenced to prison & then 45 years' supervised release for Harrison County West Virginia sex assault of Kentucky runaway - WV News

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