Watkins Gets Probation

— A Hector man was placed on state-supervised probation for 20 years in connection with his guilty plea for using the Internet in an attempt to engage in sexual acts with a minor.

Kenneth Corey Watkins, 22, previously pleaded guilty to Internet stalking of a child, a Class B felony punishable with a prison sentence ranging from five to 20 years. Watkins was arrested April 28, 2011. Watkins entered his plea without a plea agreement, so his punishment was up to Circuit Judge Jon Comstock, who held a sentencing hearing Tuesday.

A school counselor took the girl to Aaron Coble, resource officer at Lincoln Junior High School in Bentonville, because the girl was concerned her boyfriend had been injured in a car accident, according to court documents.

The girl, 14, claimed she learned her boyfriend “Corey Jones” had been injured in an accident involving a tractor-trailer. She learned about the accident after reading about it on his sister’s — “Kayla Jones” — Myyearbook.com account, according to the police report. Myyearbook.com is a social networking website.

The girl reported she had only talked with “Corey” on the phone and through text messages. She believed he was 16 and attended Siloam Springs High School, according to the report. The girl said she did not know “Kayla,” but accepted her friendship request on Myyearbook.com. She then received a message from “Corey” claiming to be “Kayla’s” brother and he wanted to start texting her. The two began communicating via text message and spoke daily on the phone, according to the report.

Police later learned “Corey Jones” was actually Watkins, according to court documents.

Coble, pretending to be the girl, texted “Corey” saying she wanted to meet him. “Corey” sent a text back stating he would have to sneak out of the hospital.

The two also discussed sex and arranged to meet at Great Day Skate Place in Bentonville. “Corey” said he would bring condoms, according to court documents.

Bentonville police went to the skating rink to wait for Watkins and arrested him without incident. Watkins told police he created the Myyearbook.com under the false name “Kayla Jones.” Watkins said he saw the girl’s profile on the website and thought she was attractive, according to the police report.

Watkins told police he created more than one account on Myyearbook.com under different girls’ names and used them with the intent to meet other girls. Watkins also created five email accounts associated with Myyearbook.com and Facebook, according to court documents.

Larry Gantt, a therapist who has specialized in working with sex offenders, testified during the sentencing hearing that Watkins has regularly attended individual and group therapy sessions with him.

Gantt recommended Watkins continue his treatment in a community-based sex offender program and be supervised around female minors.

Chief Deputy Prosecutor Stuart Cearley and Watkins’ attorney James Dunham agreed on a sentence after Gantt finished his testimony. The girl’s mother was in court, and Cearley said she agreed to the sentencing agreement.

The judge accepted the sentencing recommendation and ordered Watkins placed on probation for 20 years. Watkins was sentenced to 118 days in the county jail. He must report by noon Dec. 28.

He will be required to register as a sex offender, must take periodic polygraph tests, must pay $2,170 in court costs and cannot have unsupervised contact with minors. He cannot have Internet or electronic contact with any female minors except family members.

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