Minatare man sentenced in child sex assault case

A Minatare man accused in the first degree sexual assault of a young girl three years ago was sentenced to 2 1/2 to 4 years in prison on amended charges Monday.

After entering a plea agreement earlier on an amended charge of third degree sexual assault of a child, 32 year old Keith Van Winkle was also ordered to register as a sex offender.

Van Winkle was arrested after a seven year old girl told school officials last year about the incident during a school presentation.

Court documents say the victim told a State Patrol Investigator that the assault took place when the suspect was in her bedroom applying an ointment for a rash. Van Winkle was then interviewed and during the course of a polygraph examination, confirmed the victim's allegations and was arrested.

Van Winkle was given credit for 254 days already served.

© 2013 Rural Radio Network. All rights reserved. Republishing, rebroadcasting, rewriting, redistributing prohibited. Copyright Information