A McGregor man convicted for four counts of gross sexual imposition has been sentenced to serve a consecutive 14 years in prison.

Robert Jerome Watterud, 37, McGregor, appeared in North Central District Court in Burke County on Monday for sentencing, following guilty verdicts for all four Class A felony counts from a jury trial in September 2024.

According to court documents, the charges against Watterud stemmed from a report to the Burke County Sheriff’s Office from a sibling of the victim claiming Watterud had been touching her inappropriately. The case was forwarded to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in February 2023. Investigators interviewed the victim, who said Watterud abused her approximately 200 times beginning in 2013 until 2019.

For the first count, Judge Stacy Louser sentenced Watterud to serve 20 years in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to first serve seven years with the balance suspended for 10 years of supervised probation. For the remaining three counts, Watterud received a consecutive sentence of 20 years with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to first serve seven years with the balance suspended for 10 years of supervised probation.

Watterud is required to register as a sex offender upon release, and have no contact with the victim. Watterud was also ordered to complete a chemical dependency evaluation, and abstain from alcohol during probation.

Watterud was also assessed $1,025 in court fines and fees.