Southport man pleads guilty to statutory rape

BRUNSWICK CO., NC (WWAY) — Brunswick county man pleads guilty to statutory rape. The District Attorney’s office says 22-year-old Joshua Benjamin Higgins of Southport pleaded guilty to two counts of statutory rape for incidents that occurred with a 13-year-old girl in 2009. Prosecuting attorneys say Higgins and the girl knew each other from a church youth group. Higgins was sentenced to spend up to 13 years in prison.