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September 18, 2009

Rapist given 14-year sentence

By Adam S. Sulfridge / Staff Writer

Willie Lowe, 42, of Rockholds, as part of a plea deal, was sentenced to 14 years in prison Thursday in connection with the 2008 rape of a 42-year-old Corbin woman.

According to officers, Lowe allegedly took the victim, whom police said he was acquainted with, from the hotel where she was staying. He drove her to a location in Rockholds and later brought her back into Corbin.

After the incident, the victim came forward and spoke with police, at which time charges were filed against Lowe. He fled after officers obtained a warrant for his arrest, but he turned himself in eight days after the incident.

Lowe was indicted in March 2008 on charges of first-degree rape and first-degree persistent felony offender.

Lowe was later charged with failing to comply with Kentucky’s sex offender registry, which is a felony offense. He was ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years following his release from a 10-year sentence stemming from a first-degree sexual abuse charge in 1996. In 1994, Lowe was convicted of third-degree rape and sentenced to three years.

In January of this year, Lowe’s then attorney, Timothy Despotes, said despite Lowe’s ability to read and write, he couldn’t understand the severity of his situation.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Allen Trimble and Circuit Court Judge Dan Ballou agreed to allow Lowe to undergo a competency evaluation.

Thursday, Judge Ballou sentenced Lowe to 14 years on the first-degree rape charge and one year for the failure to comply with Kentucky’s sex offender registry charge, but the latter will run concurrent with the former.

Rape in the first degree is a Class B felony and is punishable by up to 20 years. If the victim is under 12 years old or receives serious physical injury, it then becomes a Class A felony.

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