FARGO (AP) - A Wahpeton man accused of threatening girls into engaging in sexually explicit conduct has been sentenced to 32 years in prison.
Dustin Coleman was convicted on eight counts in the state's first federal prosecution of "sextortion.'' Coleman told one victim that if she didn't send him nude photographs of herself, he would rape her younger sister.
A joint sentencing recommendation between prosecutors and Coleman's federal public defender had called for 30 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson told attorneys at Tuesday's sentencing hearing that he tacked on two years for the extortion charges.
Defense attorney Christopher Lancaster told the judge there are no excuses for the criminal conduct, but added that his client suffers from numerous mental health and addiction issues.