NKyTribune staff
A Covington man has been convicted of sex crimes against a minor that reportedly began in 2014 and continued for almost a year.
Williams
Paul Williams Jr. was found guilty of three counts of Rape in the Third Degree and one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. A jury recommended those sentences to run concurrently for a total of five years in prison.
A Kenton County Grand Jury indicted Williams on charges of First Degree Rape and First Degree Sexual abuse. At the conclusion of trial, however, Judge Gregory M. Bartlett directed a verdict of acquittal on the First Degree Rape charge, over the objection of the Commonwealth.
Bartlett ruled there was insufficient evidence for a jury to believe Williams used forcible compulsion to have intercourse with the minor victim.
The victim’s age was not disclosed.
Final sentencing is scheduled for January 29, at 9 a.m. in the Third Division of the Kenton Circuit Court.
The Kenton Commonwealth Attorney’s office released the following statement regarding the investigation:
In August 2015, officers from the Covington Police Department responded to a residence in Covington, for the report of a sexual assault. Officers met with a minor victim and her aunt.
The minor victim disclosed she had been sexually assaulted by Paul Williams Jr. The case was assigned to Detective Nick Klaiss. As part of the investigation, the victim was interviewed at the Northern Kentucky Children’s Advocacy Center, where she disclosed being repeatedly raped and sexually abused by Paul Williams Jr.
The victim stated the abuse began in December, 2014 and continued until August, 2015, when it was reported to police. Williams had access to the minor’s home because of a relationship he had with her mother. The minor stated that the sexual assaults occurred repeatedly and in multiple rooms in her home.
On June 16, 2016, Paul Williams Jr. was indicted by the Kenton County Grand Jury on charges of 1st Degree Rape and 1st Degree Sexual Abuse.
The case was called for trial before Judge Gregory M. Bartlett on November 28, 2017.
The Commonwealth was represented by Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorneys Maria Schletker and Lawrence Hilton. The Commonwealth called the minor to testify regarding the sexual assaults. Officer Justin Meyer and Detective Nick Klaiss from the Covington Police Department were called as witnesses for the Commonwealth.
The Commonwealth also presented the testimony of other family members of the victim and Dr. Berkeley Bennett from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Northern Kentucky Children’s Advocacy Center. Once the Commonwealth rested its case, the Defendant testified on his own behalf and denied having sexual contact with the victim.
At the close of the case, over the Commonwealth’s objection, the judge directed a verdict of acquittal on the 1st Degree Rape charge, ruling there was insufficient evidence for a jury to believe Williams used forcible compulsion to have intercourse with the minor victim. As a result of the court’s ruling, the jury was only allowed to consider the lesser offense of 3rd Degree Rape.
The case was submitted for deliberations on November 30.
Due to a power outage at the courthouse, the jury was sent home early and told to return the next day to resume deliberations, however, one juror fell ill on that day so the trial was continued until the following week. On December 5, the jury returned a verdict finding the Defendant guilty of three counts of Rape in the Third Degree and one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree.
The sentencing phase of the trial was conducted and the jury recommended a sentence of five years to serve on each count of Rape in the Third Degree, and one year to serve for Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. The jury recommended those sentences be run concurrently for a total of five years in prison.
Final sentencing will take place on January 29, at 9 a.m. in the Third Division of the Kenton Circuit Court.
