A former Austin funeral director was sentenced to 15 years of probation for two counts of felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim 13 to 15 years of age. in Mower County District Court on Friday.

Eric Arthur Weerts, 38, of Cannon Falls and formerly of Austin, pleaded guilty to the charges as part of a plea agreement in May.

A third charge of felony third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a victim 13 to 15 years of age was dropped.

As part of his probation, Weerts must follow 20 conditions and pay $185 in fines and fees.

Weerts was arrested in March 2016 for engaging in sexual acts with a 15-year-old female on three occasions in the summer and fall of 2015.

A woman reported to the Austin Police Department she found out her daughter had been sending nude photographs of herself to three unknown males.

Weerts allegedly connected with the victim online using the app “Kik” where his profile name was “Steven Johnson,” and his age was listed as 17.

He had previously met the victim about a week earlier at his former place of work, an Austin funeral home, where he worked as a funeral director and assisted with a funeral for a person the victim knew.

The two reportedly exchanged nude photographs before meeting at Horace Austin Park near the Austin Municipal Pool, possibly in June 2015, where the victim reportedly recognized Weerts as the employee from the funeral home.

Weerts asked her to come to his house “someday” to have sex and she initially declined. They talked for a while and then he went back to work. Later, she sent him a message accepting his offer and he told her not to tell her mother.

The first encounter came when the victim rode her bike to Weerts’ house the night after their initial meeting at Horace Austin Park. They met a second time at the same park and engaged in sexual acts again. The third time was in October 2015, when the victim was visiting her friend who lived at Mandolin Apartments. She used her friend’s tablet to message Weerts, then her friend gave him the address and he came over.

The second victim confirmed most of the details in the first victim’s account and she told Weerts she was 17 years old and the first victim was 15 years old. The first victim said she had not met with Weerts since that incident.

Weerts received credit for three days served.