Lynchburg man sentenced to prison for gross sexual imposition, other charges
A Lynchburg man has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to gross sexual imposition and two other felony charges in Highland County Common Pleas Court.
As previously reported, Andrew L. Watson, 35, was indicted in March by a Highland County grand jury and charged with two counts of endangering children, one second-degree and one third-degree felony; gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony; and two counts of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, both fourth-degree felonies.
Watson pleaded guilty May 17 to the gross sexual imposition charge, the third-degree felony endangering children charge and one count of disseminating matter harmful to juveniles, court records show.
The indictment charged Watson with allegedly having “sexual contact” with a child victim, or “causing” the victim “to have sexual contact” with Watson,” or “causing [the victim] and another to have sexual contact” during an approximate two-year period, between 2021 and 2023.
The endangering children count charges that Watson allegedly “created a substantial risk to the health or safety” of a child “by violating a duty of care, protection or support, and the harm resulted in serious physical harm” to the child, during several months in 2022.
It is further alleged that Watson “did with knowledge of its character or content, recklessly directly sell, deliver, furnish, disseminate, provide, exhibit, rent or present … any material or performance that is obscene or harmful” to a juvenile during a period of several months in 2022.
According to court records, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss followed the recommended sentence in this case and imposed a sentence of 30 months in the gross sexual imposition charge, consecutive to 12 months on each of the other two charges, for a total of 54 months in prison. Watson had jail time credit of two days.
In addition, Watson will be classified as a tier II sex offender, requiring registration every 180 days for 25 years.
According to court records, Watson’s codefendant, Tiffany L. Watson-Badinghaus, 36, of Lynchburg — who was indicted on the same charges with the exception of gross sexual imposition — has entered a plea of guilty to two counts in this matter. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for June 20.
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