Man pleads guilty to child rape in Clark County, sentenced to prison

Jun. 8—A man who was indicted for 27 sex crime charges in Clark County pleaded guilty last month to rape and was sentenced to prison.

Joseph Norman Watts, 46, pleaded guilty to two counts of rape and was sentenced to 20-25 years in prison, according to Clark County Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll.

The case was brought on after one of two child victims "bravely came forward and disclosed the abuse."

"Watts was in a position of power over both of his victims, and he pleaded guilty to a rape count for each separate victim," Driscoll said.

Watts also was classified as a Tier 3 sex offender and will have to register for life.

Watts was arrested on March 9 at Interstate 70 and state Route 41 by the U.S. Marshals Service and Ohio State Highway Patrol after they initiated a traffic stop for outstanding warrants, according to court records.

Watts initially was indicted and arraigned in the Clark County Common Pleas Court on 27 different sex charges, including eight counts of rape, five counts of sexual battery and 14 counts of gross sexual imposition, court records show.

According to court records, the charges included rape by threat of force and of an impaired person, sexual battery, and gross sexual imposition by threat of force.

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