Spokane-area man gets 25 years for lewd conduct with two children and stalking in Kootenai County

From staff reports

A 41-year-old man was sentenced Thursday to up to 40 years in prison for felony lewd conduct with a minor and stalking charges in Kootenai County.

Kenneth Watkins, who is from the Spokane area, had prior felony convictions for rape and burglary in Washington, according to a news release from the Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

District Judge Richard Christensen ruled that the charge for lewd conduct would have a 25-year fixed sentence, and the other 15 years of Watkins’ sentence could be indeterminate with credit for time served. Officials had asked for 35 years, in part based on an “above average risk to reoffend,” according to the news release.

The stalking sentence of five years will run concurrently.

Authorities say that between January 1, 2018 and April 1, 2021, Watkins “engaged in sexual conduct” with two children, one between 4 and 8 at the time and one between 7 and 10.

The stalking happened from June and July 2021, when officials said Watkins had “repeated direct and indirect contact” with a woman when a who had a no-contact order against him.