(ABC 6 News) – An Oregon man was sentenced to 57 months, or 4.75 years at the MN Correctional Facility in St. Cloud after pleading guilty to 3rd-degree criminal sexual conduct–uses coercion.

Spencer Glen Merchant, 23, of Florence, Oregon, was also ordered to pay $15,968 to the woman he raped in a car outside an Austin bar, according to court documents.

According to court documents, Merchant received 55 days’ credit for time spent in the Mower County Jail when he lived in Austin, MN.

Merchant’s defense filed a motion for a dispositional departure, or comparatively light sentence, ahead of Mower County judge Kevin Siefken’s decision.

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(ABC 6 News) – An Austin man pleaded guilty to raping a woman in her car outside a bar.

Spencer Glen Merchant, 22, was arrested Nov. 11, 2022. He entered a guilty plea to 3rd degree criminal sexual conduct June 28.

Merchant’s victim told law enforcement she went out with friends, but changed her mind and stayed in the car to get a ride home while outside Cuatro Copas Bar, according to court documents.

Merchant made advances to her and sexually assaulted her after she made it clear that she didn’t want to have sex, court documents allege.

Law enforcement saw texts from the woman where she asked her friends to rescue her during the assault, according to court documents.

Merchant’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 9.