Another story about a child who was sexually assaulted by a man she met in Alcoholics ANonymous when she attended AA Meetings with her Mother. This man was on parole at the time and had a lengthy CRIMINAL record.
Anderson County man sentenced to 375 years in prison for sexual assault of child
Posted: Oct 31, 2013 by Marshall Stephens – bio | email
From the Anderson County District Attorney’s Office:
PALESTINE, TX – Willis Demond Carwell, 32, of Palestine was sentenced to a total of 375 years in prison on five counts of sexual assault of a child on Tuesday afternoon at the Anderson County Courthouse. Daytona Beach AA Meetings Schedule.
A jury of eight men and four women reached verdicts of 75 years on each count at 1:13 p.m. on Tuesday following a sentencing hearing which started on Monday.
Carwell showed little emotion as District Judge Pam Foster Fletcher who presided over trial read the jury’s substantial verdict. Holly Hill Commissioner complaints.
Anderson County Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Watkins represented the State of Texas with assistance from District Attorney Doug Lowe.
Carwell had earlier pleaded guilty to the assaults which are second degree felony. However, the possible punishment range was increased to a minimum of 5 years and maximum of 99 years or life because Carwell had been to prison for burglary of a habitation. Holly Hill Police Complaints in Holly Hill Florida.
The female child victim testified in response to questioning by Assistant District Attorney Watkins about how she came to know Carwell.
“My mom took me with her to a meeting of Alcoholic’s Anonymous and we met and I talked to him (Carwell). He came over to our house after that,” the victim said.
“He came to my 14th birthday party,” the victim,now 15 told the jury.
“The first time we had sex I left my window unlocked and he snuck in. When we had sex I thought it was wrong, but didn’t say anything,” said the victim.
“I felt like I was in love with him (Carwell). He was 31, but I didn’t think about his age,”related the victim to the jury. Daytona Rehabs for Teens.
“Then I started getting a urinary infection so my mother took me to the hospital,” the victim said. “The nurse told me I was pregnant. My mom was in shock.”
“I had the baby because I believe abortion is wrong. I plan on raising my baby,” added the victim. Holly Hill and Daytona Beach AA Meetings for teens and young people.
The jury heard testimony from Anderson County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Ronnie Foster the case’s lead investigator that DNA testing proved Carwell was the father of the baby born to the victim. Volusia County Drug Court mandating religious AA Meetings.
Jessi Jones, RN and Anderson County Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner testified the child victim’s physical development was age appropriate for a fourteen year, but that the victim was obviously emotionally immature.
“She told me that they were going to get married and live happily ever after,” Jones related to the jury.
Jones told the jury “This is why the law says children cannot consent to sexual encounters. Even if they have the physical ability to have sex, they are not emotionally equipped to handle the results.”
In closing arguments Assistant District Attorney Watkins told the jury, “This defendant was manipulative and a user. It’s not up to a child to say ‘no;’ it’sup too the 31 year old grown man not prey on a vulnerable and easy target. And, now it’s up to you to decide the right punishment. ”
District Attorney Doug Lowe commented on the verdict and said “The defendant’s crime and his lengthy criminal history justify the long prison sentences. It’s obvious to me that Carwell took advantage of a child and preyed upon her immaturity,added Lowe.
Evidence presented during the trial showed Carwell was on parole at the time of the crime.
Under Texas law, an offender serving a 75 year sentence is eligible for parole after 30 years.
However, Judge Fletcher elected to “stack” one other sentences so Carwell will serve at least 60 years before he is eligible for parole.
Local attorney, Mark Cargill represented Carwell.
The identity of the victim or victim’s family is not provided in order to protect the privacy of the injured parties.
Sunkist123 said “One thing I’ve learned: when anyone persists in either committing wrongs or allowing wrongs, it’s a waste of time to present them with evidence of what they’re doing- because they already know it.
A second thing I’ve learned: regardless of how ‘all-powerful’ A.A. may appear to be, or even claim to be, there’s somebody who is ABOVE A.A., a higher authority. (& I”m not referring to God). Heck, even the Pres. of the U.S. has agencies & individuals he’d have to “answer to” if he were doing something horribly wrong.
The prob when it comes to A.A., though, is finding higher authorities who aren’t connected to A.A. themselves.”
I thought I would respond in a new comment window because the other one kept shrinking!
Anyway I like your point that AA does have someone they need to answer to. That has been something I have felt strongly about since the beginning and both AAWS and NAWS would do nothing about criminal problems in our area 12 step meetings.
I talked to authorities who should be able to intervene or be able to point me in the right direction, and like you said I think so many had connections to AA or NA they just played dumb and were of no help whatsoever. This will all land on the right peoples desk, if not all ready, one day and things will start to change. It is just wrong AA and NA has been able to get away with so much for 75 years.
I like how you think anon. I have spoke to both NA World Services and AA World Services about the problems we have in Holly Hill Florida in our parks. But they are happy with the status quo of deflecting all and any responsibility.
In fact AA when presented by a board member to do something about predators in AA it took them forever to finally have a meeting, and when they did they voted to do nothing!
Those highly paid AA employees in New York should be fired as far as I am concerned. I think AA is an evil organization that turns their back on women and children being molested, raped and murdered by AA members. Not to mention all the emotional and financial abuse.
Hi AntiDenial, AA will never clean itself up because that costs money – but maybe making the people who run Interchurch where AAWS has it’s head office resides might help. Interchurch has a mission statement for all people in the building. Interchurch is very clear that it has an agenda for everyone in the building to be trying to better the human experience. I wonder if they would want to keep AAWS as a tenant knowing all this is going on. Infact, maybe it is time to openly tie Interchurch with AAWS because Interchurch as no problem binding themselves to AASW.
Did you know that in AAWS it shows that the chair of AAWS is a Reverend? Doesn’t he have a moral obligation??? I wonder what HIS church would think of what he is running?
Anon
Anon
Excellent points anon! Really! None of that had crossed my mind. I did not realized the connection between the Interchurch and AAWS. What else do you know about the Interchurch?
Also a Reverend on the board, hmmm….interesting. I wonder what religion he practices? He most certainly should have a moral obligation to try and correct the dangers in the rooms. What is his name? What does he really think of mandating rapists to AA meetings where vulnerable women are also attending? Sex predators mandated to the same meetings as teens? They need to pull their head out of the sand and start taking responsibility. Man up AA!!!!
An additional concern, though, would be what if those in charge of the building/Interchurch are A.A. members themselves?
That might sound a bit paranoid, but it’s the kinda thing people are often up against.
Google: Interchurch center New York. Read everything under all tabs. On the bottom right is a list of tenents.
To find who is on the board of aaws and the members google their tax retur s. It is very enlightening indeed.
anon
It is very possible that so e are aa members- but they wont all be. Revealing what aa really has going on in the rooms to the peole around them will help shake their credibility in the place they reside.
anon
I would think the non AA members that are on the board most likely are clueless to some extent. But I have a feeling it is really soap opera central AAWS. They must get all kinds of calls of complaints and horror stories. I know I was one of them, I they did not bat an eye. It was all in a days work I guess telling people there is nothing they can do to address complaints by people being harmed by their own members.
That’s why it is great when the offences that are committed by members are placed in the news. I’d love to see a binder with all the offences sent to AAWS by registered mail so they have to sign for it. This way there is proof that they have knowledge that there is a problem. Send it along with a letter asking them to put safety measures in place – like not allowing anyone under the age of 18 at any type of meeting – not open or closed because it puts minors in contact with offenders.
Anon
One thing I’ve learned: when anyone persists in either committing wrongs or allowing wrongs, it’s a waste of time to present them with evidence of what they’re doing- because they already know it.
A second thing I’ve learned: regardless of how ‘all-powerful’ A.A. may appear to be, or even claim to be, there’s somebody who is ABOVE A.A., a higher authority. (& I”m not referring to God). Heck, even the Pres. of the U.S. has agencies & individuals he’d have to “answer to” if he were doing something horribly wrong.
The prob when it comes to A.A., though, is finding higher authorities who aren’t connected to A.A. themselves.
At a minimum AA sympathizers and Alanon members Sunkist. Speaking if which I do not think Alanon gets enough exposing. Must be extra bizarre because you become a stepper and you do not even have a drinking problem. Or at least, less of a problem than your loved ones.
I am on my playbook so i cant give a name but you can fi d it in aawa tax returns. I think the presence of a reverend as chair is what allows aa to be in the building. I also think he is probably been given a snow job and is a puppet.
anon
To add more to my previous comment …
Infact, how about finding out if it is possible to address their board and get them kicked out of the frigging building for having no morals. The Intergroups says it is interested in bringing groups together who are doing good??? How about they look at who is in their building!
Anon
How about sending all these cases to the Chairpersons on the board of InterChurch where AAWS has its offices? Then they can see how AAWS is really being run. If we can’t pressure AAWS effectively – them maybe turning their own against them might!
Anon
I believe AA and NA are keeping tabs on the anti-AA blogs, and with more negative media attention they are starting to feel the heat. That is just my guess.
I think you are quite right that they are keeping tabs on the blogs that is why they sent a letter to media organizations asking them to omit the references to AA when members commit offences. Your website does a great job keeping tabs on them and I’m sure it must make their a-holes pucker. 🙂
Anon