By BETH ZUMWALT
Clayton Watts, 23, Pittsfield received 10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Watts was sentenced Friday, Sept. 24 after being found guilty in a July jury trial.
The case was prosecuted by Pike County State’s Attorney Zachary Boren with Leecia Carnes assisting.
Four different victims testified in the trial in July with three of them appearing as propensity witnesses. A propensity witness can testify that the defendant has a propensity to commit sexual assault offenses.
“Propensity just means the jury is allowed to consider his other sexual assault offenses when deciding whether he’s guilty of the current sexual assault offense,” Boren said.”The Illinois statute allows us to bring in witnesses to prove that the defendant has a propensity to commit sexual assault offenses.”
Watts must serve 85 percent of his sentence and will serve three years to life mandatory supervised release upon his release from IDOC.
Chief Deputy Zack Orr was the primary investigating officer in the case with the Pittsfield Police Department, Illinois State Police Crime Laboratory, Blessing Hospital, and Jacksonville Police Department.
