A 62-year-old Austin man has admitted to a brutal pattern of sexual abuse that left a child pregnant and giving birth at age 12, a case that has gripped Mower County prosecutors for more than a year.
Miguel Sebastian Domingo pleaded guilty Thursday in Mower County District Court to three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct after police said he repeatedly raped the child. Under a plea agreement, a fourth count will be dismissed at sentencing, and any prison terms would be served at the same time, not stacked. Domingo has been held in the Mower County Jail since September 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, 2026.
Plea details
As reported by the Post Bulletin, Domingo entered guilty pleas to three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a juvenile, with the understanding that the sentences will run concurrently. The plea deal also calls for the remaining count to be dropped at sentencing, according to the outlet. The Post Bulletin noted that Domingo has been in Mower County custody since last September while the case moved through pretrial hearings.
What the charges mean
In Minnesota, first-degree criminal sexual conduct covers sexual penetration of a child under 13 and certain other aggravating circumstances, and is spelled out in Minnesota Statutes section 609.342. Guidance from the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission explains that such convictions typically lead to prison terms and require registration as a predatory offender, with judges relying on statutory factors and sentencing grids. How long Domingo may actually serve will depend on the guideline calculations, the judge’s decision at sentencing and any recommendations tied to the plea agreement.
Victim account and investigation
According to the Post Bulletin, which cited police, the child told investigators that Domingo raped her multiple times and that the assaults led to a pregnancy and the birth of a child. Prosecutors relied heavily on that account during plea negotiations, the outlet reported. Authorities have withheld identifying details in order to protect the minor.
Local context and similar prosecutions
This case is unfolding against the backdrop of other high-profile child sexual assault prosecutions in southeast Minnesota. In a recent Rochester case, a man who impregnated a 12-year-old received a 13-year prison sentence, according to local reporting by KROC. Those kinds of outcomes show that county prosecutors often push for substantial prison terms when victims are very young, and judges frequently add long conditional-release periods on top. In Domingo’s case, victim impact statements and written arguments from attorneys are expected to play a central role in what the judge ultimately decides.
Domingo is set to return to court for sentencing on Sept. 18, 2026. At that hearing, the judge will determine whether he is sent to state prison and for how long, and related court filings will become public once processed by the clerk’s office.
