(Halifax, Va.) – A Halifax man has been sentenced to 63 years in prison following his conviction on nine child pornography charges.

But Jessie Randall Coates had to be found before the sentence could be meted out.

The 42-year-old disappeared during a lunch break at his trial in Halifax County Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon. Sheriff’s investigators learned that Coates had fled to Indiana, where he was staying with family members.

The trial continued in his absence, and the jury convicted Coates on nine felony counts and recommended a 63-year sentence.

When he failed to return to the courtroom Tuesday, the judge issued a capias order for his arrest. Yorktown Police and the U.S. Marshal Service found him in Indiana, where Coates was arrested without incident.

Coates is being held without bond pending extradition to Halifax County.

(Danville, Va.) — Averett University laid off 11 employees this week and reduced one full-time employee to part-time status.

Cassie Jones, Averett’s Director of Marketing and Communications, confirmed the decision.

The layoffs happened on Monday afternoon and were blamed on a decrease in enrollment by adult students in Averett’s Graduate and Professional Studies program and an increase in higher-achieving students.

Jones said the decision was painful but is part of an effort to reorganize and make the university more efficient. The cuts represent a 2.5% reduction in the overall budget.

She said that half of the affected employees worked in the GPS program and rest are spread throughout the campus.

(Danville, Va.) — Averett University has again been recognized by U.S. News and World Report. The magazine has named Averett as the no. 17 best regional liberal arts colleges in the south, its highest ranking to date. Averett was also recognized as the seventh best university in the south for veterans and ranked ninth Southern regional college for best value. Only three Virginia schools made the “2018 Regional Liberal Arts Colleges” list.