WATERTOWN, S.D. (MITCHELLNOW) A former Watertown high school English teacher will be sentenced in October for a rape charge.
Jordan Bakken, 32, pleaded guilty on June 12, 2024, to one count of Rape in the Fourth Degree, a Class 3 felony. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years and a $30,000 fine.
Bakken was initially facing six charges, including multiple counts of Rape in the Fourth Degree, Solicitation of a Minor, and Sexual Contact with a Child Under 18 by a Person in Authority. However, as part of a plea agreement, the state agreed to dismiss the remaining charges in exchange for Bakken’s guilty plea to the single rape charge.
The former educator was arrested on January 25, 2024.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 29, 2024, at 1:30 PM at the Brookings County Courthouse.