ALBERT LEA — An Austin man was sentenced to 12 years in prison Tuesday afternoon in Freeborn County District Court after pleading guilty in February to first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Bielmar Alverez-Agular, 26, was given credit for 338 days already served in jail. He will serve his sentence at the Minnesota correctional facility in St. Cloud.

The sentence is in connection to the sexual assault of a woman June 28 at a residence in Albert Lea.

According to court documents, when police responded to the house, the woman reportedly claimed that Alverez-Agular had come to the residence that afternoon and had forced his way into the house.

Reports state Alverez-Agular had sexually assaulted her, strangled her and beat her with wooden drumsticks.

He was known to the victim.

Alverez-Agular was originally charged with the first-degree count plus one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of domestic assault by strangulation, but those charges were dismissed with a plea deal.