Cass County ( trfnews.i234.me ) – A Fargo man who admitted to sexually exploiting a minor has been sentenced in Cass County District Court. Court documents show Katterrius Oates will serve prison time following a plea deal.
Oates was originally charged on February 14 with multiple felonies, including use of a minor in a sexual performance, promoting a sexual performance by a minor, possession of prohibited materials, corruption of a minor, and violating a no-contact order.
He pleaded not guilty in April, but later changed his plea on June 19. On August 28, a judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Under a plea agreement, Oates will serve just over nine and a half years behind bars, followed by three years of supervised probation.
Court filings say investigators analyzed phone data between Oates and a juvenile female spanning November 2024 to January 2025. Messages, photos, and videos revealed what appeared to be a two-year sexual relationship. Authorities say the victim’s mother discovered the evidence and alerted police.
During questioning, Oates admitted he knew the victim was only 15 years old. In February 2025, police say Oates violated a no-contact order by communicating with the girl through Instagram, Snapchat, and Gmail. That violation added to the charges against him.
Because of his guilty plea, a felony jury trial that had been scheduled for September 3 was cancelled. Oates remains in custody serving his sentence. Learn more about North Dakota court sentencing here.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
