Harrison County man to serve 22 years after impregnating 13-year-old

A Harrison County man will spend more than 20 years in prison after impregnating a 13-year-old girl.

District Attorney Crosby Parker said 40-year-old- Antonio Cantrell Owens pleaded guilty last week to sexual battery and was sentenced to 22 years day-for-day, without possibility of parole or early release by Circuit Judge Christopher Schmidt.

The crime was discovered when the 13-year-old became pregnant and DNA testing determined Owens was the father. Owens also admitted to the victim’s mother he committed the sexual battery.

“Crimes against children are the most heart-breaking because not only do they steal a child’s innocence, but they also leave permanent, unseen scars on a child’s mental well-being,” said Assistant District Attorney Alison Baker who prosecuted the case.