Windom man sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting deaf woman

A Windom man was sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting a deaf woman in 2022, but he could be eligible for parole in 15 years.

Troy Leroy Dykes, 57, was sentenced Tuesday in Cottonwood County Court on one count of 1st-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Judge Christina M Wietzema handed down a life sentence to be served at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud.  If Dykes were to be released, he would be subject to parole conditions, including registering as a predatory offender, for the rest of his life.

In 2022, Dykes appeared at the home of his deaf victim, whom he had known for just a couple of weeks.  He sexually assaulted the victim, beat her, and abused her cat.

Dykes was previously a convicted felon with a criminal history of assault.