TheTimesTribune.com, Corbin, KY

Local News

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.

Text Only
Local News
  • Police search for suspect in highway beating

    It was called by some as “road rage,” but Barbourville Police say last Saturday evening’s fight at a city intersection was definitely an assault. And they are still looking for the man who police say threw the first punch.

    May 24, 2012

  • Woman gets five years for drugs

    In U.S. Federal Court Wednesday, Heather A. Collins, who was called by Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove as a “kind of leader for the group,” was sentenced to five years after using prescription forms to acquire various drugs.

    May 24, 2012

  • Father, son rearraigned for meth charges

    A son and father were rearraigned Wednesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in London.

    May 24, 2012

  • 0523 chs Brady Foley.jpg Hounds hold on

    Corbin Coach Rob Ledington rolled the dice after his Redhounds took a 6-0 lead, but it paid off with an 8-7 win over Whitley County as Corbin advanced to the 50th District Championship tonight with an ace up their sleeve.

    May 23, 2012 1 Photo

  • Drugs suspected in fatal Knox County crash

    Drug use may have been a factor in a crash Monday in Knox County in which an 11-year-old boy was killed, according to Kentucky State Police Post-10 Harlan Public Affairs Officer Trooper Shane Jacobs and Sgt. Jimmy Young.

    May 23, 2012

  • Marie Rader wins 89th Rep. District Primary

    Republican Marie Rader won the primary election for the 89th District House of Representatives.

    May 23, 2012

  • Barton wins another circuit court clerk term

    Whitley County voters went with experience when it came to electing the next circuit court clerk, choosing incumbent Gary Barton, according to unofficial election results.

    May 23, 2012

  • Bunch victor in 82nd House District

    For incumbent State Representative Regina Petrey Bunch, the votes came in bunches Tuesday night.

    May 23, 2012

  • Voter turnout higher than expected

    The election day ran fairly smooth in Whitley, with the exception of several precincts losing power briefly and a few complaints regarding signs being too close to polling places.

    May 23, 2012

  • Kenneth S. Stepp to face Hal Rogers in fall

    Two Democrats, Kenneth S. Stepp, of Clay County, and Micheal Ackerman, of Rowan County, running for the Fifth Congressional District ran a heads-together race in the 30-county district.

    May 23, 2012

Front page
Featured Ads

AP Video
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium 50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Hyperlocal Search
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com