Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
6 years meted in sex misconduct
Judge David Cates sentenced a North Webster man to 6 years in prison Thursday and said he thinks the man is only sorry he got caught.
William James Rex, 36, of 8534 E. Bond St., North Webster, was sentenced in Kosciusko Superior Court I Thursday to six years in the Indiana Department of Corrections, all executed, for one count of sexual misconduct with a minor, a Level 4 felony; and to two years each for two counts of child exploitation, Level 5 felonies, all suspended to formal probation and to be served consecutively. Rex is also required to register as a sex offender, seek treatment through the Bowen Center and have no contact with any victims in the case. Rex’s personal electronics were seized and transferred to the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office.
A Level 6 felony of possession of child pornography charge was dropped.
Rex was arrested Aug. 31 after police were contacted by the parents of the victims and told Rex had been taking inappropriate photos of two children. Rex was a family friend of the victims and the children told police Rex had taken the photos inside his North Webster home.
Rex took one of the children to dinner and bought her vape cartridges, then took her back to his home and took pictures of her. Rex told the child if she didn’t want him to take pictures, then she needs to pay him back for dinner and the vape cartridges.
Rex took that child out to dinner several times after that, bought her lingerie, then would take her to his house and photograph her wearing it. Rex also put the child in handcuffs behind her back then undressed her top half and took photos.
Rex engaged in the same behavior with a second victim, and a third victim told police she had sex with Rex two times and that he also took photos of her wearing lingerie.
Cates heard from the victims in the case during Thursday’s sentencing.
The father of one of the victims said hearing the words that his daughter is a victim of Rex’s brought a whirlwind of emotions because Rex was his best friend and someone the man’s children called “Uncle.” The father said he pulled out pictures and found one of Rex holding his daughter at the hospital after she was just born. The father also said that his daughter was acting out and cutting herself during the time it was later discovered Rex was doing this to her.
“My daughter’s begging me for more counseling I can’t afford for something a child shouldn’t have to deal with,” the man said through tears.
Next to speak was the father of the two other victims in the case and he straight up asked Cates to “put this monster away.”
“He was a family friend for many years. Little did I know he was grooming my kids to be his victims.”
The man told Cates that he’s afraid to let his daughters go anywhere now, because he’s afraid someone will hurt them.
“If I never see this monster again, it will be too soon.”
As Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brad Voelz was preparing to read a written statement from one of the child victims, Rex’s attorney, Jay Rigdon objected and said victim impact statements covering all three victims have already been heard and there is no need to hear anything more.
Both Cates and Voelz seemed surprised by this objection, to which Cates overruled.
“I was terrified to tell my parents,” the letter read. “Now I am scared to be alone with any guy.”
The letter continued to talk about how the girl feels that if something like this happened to her by someone who was considered a family member, she is now fearful of who could try to hurt her. The victim sobbed from the gallery when Voelz read the part of the letter that said Rex didn’t have sex with her, but he put her in handcuffs.
A second child victim then began to take the stand to read her letter to the court, to which Rigdon again objected and Cates again overruled.
The girl said the reason they are all here today is because she decided to tell and that she’s glad she did.
“I said no over and over,” the girl said about what Rex would make her do.
During this testimony, Rex was seen rolling his eyes and scrunching his face.
The girl then addressed Rex and said, “To Will, I don’t know why you did this, but I hope you will receive help.”
Voelz then told the judge that he’s sorry that Rex did these things, but, “The victims’ bravery and coming forward has made the community safer against William Rex and people like him.”
Rigdon said his client “eloquently” expressed his regret in his pre-sentence investigation report and that Rex has no prior criminal record.
Rigdon asked Cates to sentence Rex to 4 years executed in IDOC, with 6 years suspended to formal probation, saying that if the fear of Rex reoffending is the issue, then sentencing him that way would actually keep Rex under the control of the justice system longer.
“I know that my actions were appalling and through these actions I changed my family, ruined my life and betrayed my closest friends. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself. I’m sorry,” Rex said.
Cates told Rex he was in a position of trust with those children and that he violated that multiple times through repetitive acts and that Cates believes there is a significant possibility of continuing damage.
“Mr. Rex, we just heard the prosecutor describe the courage and strength of the victims,”?Cates told him. “But I think you’re sorry for getting caught.”
Tire slashing lands man in jail
A Pierceton man arrested Dec. 3 for burglarizing his ex-girlfriend’s residence is back in jail for allegedly slashing her new boyfriend’s tire.
Donald Eugene Adkins, 49, of 7379 E. CR 200N, Pierceton, was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail at 9:25 a.m. Wednesday and faces a Class B misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief.
According to the police report filed Monday in Kosciusko Superior Court II, on Oct. 5 a man called the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office to report that his tire had been slashed.
The man told police that his new girlfriend was his house the night before and that Adkins had shown up, banging on the front door wanting to come in. Eventually Adkins left after not being let in, court papers state.
However, the man then spoke with his neighbor across the street. The neighbor told the man he has surveillance video on his house and it shows Adkins in the driveway. Police reviewed the video, and according to the affidavit, Adkins can be heard saying, “f*** it. Then you can hear a loud popping noise and see dust stir up next to Donald’s vehicle.” Adkins then left, the report states.
When police asked Adkins about it, Adkins did admit to showing up at the man’s house that night, but said he only did so because he wanted to speak with his ex-girlfriend and he thought they were still together. Adkins told police he was told to leave the property, and he did, without touching anything.
On Oct. 5, police responded to the woman’s home for a burglary after she came home and noticed her door jam was broken and jewelry Adkins had given her was gone.
The woman filed for a protection order against Adkins, and in Adkins’ response to the request, he admitted he took the items and agreed to pay to fix the door jam, court papers state.
Adkins also alleged that the woman threatened him in text messages by saying, “Anything I have of yours or anything you’ve ever given me is going in the trash today. Don’t ever come here again, I will dent your truck up for sure and slap your f****** face. Wanna try me? My keys are ready for your truck.”
Adkins’ bond in the criminal mischief arrest was set at $750.
Cops say Milford man beat his wife
A Milford man is in jail and accused of beating his wife and trying to run over a man he believed was having an affair with her.
Andrew Lee Bevelhimer, 44, of 106 S. East St., Milford, was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail at 7:03 a.m. Dec. 13 for domestic battery with a child under 16 present, a Level 6 felony; and domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor. Bevelhimer is also facing a Class B misdemeanor charge of criminal recklessness.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed Monday in Kosciusko Superior Court II, on Dec. 6, a Kosciusko County Sheriff deputy met with a man who told police Bevelhimer just tried to run him over with his SUV while the man was riding his bicycle through town in Milford.
The man told police that Bevelhimer drove up behind him, lowered the window to the vehicle and began to drive beside the man. The man told police he asked Bevelhimer, “What? You going to run me over or what?”
“After stating this, Andrew Bevelhimer did not respond, but smiled and drove away,” court papers state.
Almost immediately after, according to the affidavit, the SUV re-appeared and swerved to hit the man on the bicycle. The man told police that both he and the vehicle were traveling in the grass, off the roadway, during this incident.
When police asked the man why Bevelhimer would try to run him over, the man told police that Bevelhimer thinks he’s having an affair with Bevelhimer’s wife. When police asked the man where he was coming from, the man said two doors down from the Bevelhimers’ residence and that he understands it “could look bad.”
The man then told police that he’s been messaging with Bevelhimer’s wife and that she said Bevelhimer had just returned home and “told her that he ran over him,”?according to court papers.
When police went to the scene of the alleged crime, they were unable to locate any vehicle tire tracks or bicycle tracks in the grass where the man said they would be.
Police then went to the Bevelhimer residence in an attempt to speak with Bevelhimer.
Police reports state that officers did not locate Bevelhimer at the home, but did find the man and Bevelhimer’s wife together there.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed Thursday in Kosciusko Superior Court III, on Dec. 8, Milford police met with Bevelhimer’s wife. The woman told police she and Bevelhimer had been arguing all day, so she left with a friend to run an errand. Upon returning from that errand, court papers state, she found the TV ripped off the wall, clothes thrown everywhere, a knife stuck in the wall and a knife stuck in the couch.
When she went to leave, Bevelhimer allegedly grabbed her by her arm, kicked her, drug her through the yard and told her to, “get inside b****.”
The couple’s two children were present during this altercation, according to the affidavit.
Bevelhimer’s bond was set at $6,000.
$75,250 bond set in molesting case
An Etna Green man is being held on a $75,250 bond after being accused of molesting a child.
Joseph Delbert Doty, 34, of 9671 W. CR 300N, Etna Green, was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail at 3:09 a.m. Thursday and faces two charges of child molesting, one a Level 1 Felony, the other a Level 3 felony.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed Tuesday in Kosciusko Superior Court I, on Oct. 12, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputies spoke with a woman who told police that information came to light during a family conversation about homosexuality that Doty had molested a child.
A Department of Child Services worker interviewed the child, who told the caseworker he sometimes stays at Doty’s house, along with another child.
According to court papers, the second child told police that he doesn’t want to stay at Doty’s house anymore because he doesn’t want the same thing happening to him that happened to the other boy.
The first boy told police that Doty placed his mouth on the boy’s penis while they were in Doty’s bed and it happened more than once, according to the affidavit. The second boy was allegedly present and observed that happening, court papers state.
Ligonier man faces counterfeiting count
A man who got busted for passing $20 bills at a gas station and told the clerk he thought they seemed fishy has landed himself in jail.
Rashun Albert Carter, 28, of 877 E. U.S. 6, #25, Ligonier, was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail at 1:02 a.m. Wednesday and faces a Level 6 felony charge of counterfeiting.
According to the probable cause affidavit filed Nov. 26 in Kosciusko Superior Court II, on June 26, North Webster police responded to the Freedom Express gas station in reference to three counterfeit $20 bills that had been presented to the clerk.
The clerk told police that the first $20 bill felt different but she did not use her counterfeit pen to mark the bill. The man then handed her another $20 bill to purchase more items, according to court papers. The clerk used the pen on that bill and it showed it was counterfeit. The clerk then removed the first bill from the register and marked it, and that showed to be counterfeit. The man told the clerk he has another $20 bill, but when the clerk used the pen on that one, it was counterfeit, too.
The man told the clerk “he thought something was fishy with the bills also when they were given to him.”
North Webster police contacted the Ligonier police, who said that Carter is a person they’ve dealt with on several occasions.
Carter’s bond was set at $5,250.
