COEUR d’ALENE — A man who pleaded guilty to molesting two children and stalking a woman will spend up to 40 years behind bars.

Kenneth L. Watkins, 41, of Liberty Lake, Wash., pleaded guilty in October to lewd conduct with a minor under the age of 16 and to first-degree stalking, both felonies.

District Judge Richard Christensen sentenced Watkins on Thursday to 40 years in prison for lewd conduct, with 25 years fixed and the remaining 15 years indeterminate, with credit for time served.

Christensen sentenced Watkins to five years in prison for stalking, the maximum sentence. The two sentences will be served concurrently.

That means Watkins will be eligible for parole in about 25 years.

The charges stem from last May, when a woman told police Watkins had molested her children, who were under the age of 13.

The children told police that, over a period of about three years, Watkins touched them inappropriately and forced them to perform sex acts.

He also reportedly exposed himself to the children and showed them pornographic videos.

The mother of the children provided police with text messages in which Watkins acknowledged the abuse, according to court documents.

Police conducted interviews with the children and others before bringing charges against Watkins in late July.

Watkins was also charged with stalking in the first degree, after police said he repeatedly violated a protection order that forbade him from contacting the mother of the children.

A judge issued a warrant for Watkins’ arrest in August.

The state dropped two of the charges against Watkins as part of a pretrial settlement offer. In exchange, Watkins pleaded guilty to the remaining charges.

Prosecutors argued for a life sentence with 35 years fixed, on the grounds that Watkins was reportedly evaluated as having an above-average risk to reoffend and minimized the extent of the abuse.

Kootenai County Prosecuting Attorney Barry McHugh said in a news release that the lengthy sentence will protect the community from Watkins, particularly other children.

“Judge Christensen appropriately evaluated the seriousness of the conduct, the trauma suffered by the victims, the safety of the community and punishment in reaching his decision,” McHugh said.

Watkins was previously convicted in Washington of rape and burglary, as well as the misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence and reckless endangerment.

In Idaho, Watkins was previously convicted of assault and destruction of a telecommunication line and violating a no contact order, both misdemeanors.