BILLY TOWNSEND, JR. Clendenin Man Faces More Than 100 Years In Prison For Sex Crimes
Reported by: Leslie Rubin
Web Producer: Leslie Rubin
Reported: Sep. 13, 2012 10:19 PM EDT
Updated: Sep. 13, 2012 10:28 PM EDT
Eyewitness News Photo
Charleston
, Kanawha County
, West Virginia
A man accused of sex crimes against three young family members cuts a plea deal in Kanawha County Circuit Court.
Sobs could be heard throughout the courtroom from Billy Townsend Jr's victims as he admitted to sexually abusing and sexually assaulting them.
Townsend, of Clendenin, was arrested in May. On Thursday, he waived his right to have a grand jury hear his case and opted to plead guilty to two counts of first degree sexual assault and one count of third degree sexual abuse.
Prosecutors say he raped one of the victims when she was in 6th grade while taking her to school. The other victims were nine and 13 at the times of the assaults.
Deputies had originally said he threatened to kill one of the victims, her mother, and himself if she told anyone.
Townsend faces 25-100 years each on the sexual assault charges, and 1-5 years on the third degree sexual abuse charge.
The state has asked he be sentenced to 25-100 years, per the plea deal.
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Leslie Rubin
