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Man, 74, accused of abuse
Florala man charged with sexual abuse of 12-year-old
Published Wednesday, April 15, 2009
A Florala man was jailed Tuesday after he was charged with sexually abusing a 12-year-old.
Florala Police Chief Sonny Bedsole said Luther Paul Townsend, 74, was charged with two counts of sexual abuse of a child under 12 and two counts of sexual abuse of a child after the department received a report Tuesday afternoon from the victim’s grandmother.
“Once we received that report, we contacted the Department of Human Resources, who came and interviewed the victim,” Bedsole said. “Based on the victim’s statement to us, there were at least four counts of sexual abuse that occurred — two of those under the age of 12.”
Bedsole said the joint investigation with the Lockhart Police Department is ongoing and more charges are expected in the future.
“The victim told us that this had been occurring for more than two years,” he said. “Our next step is to have the victim interviewed by the Child Advocacy Center in Dothan. This is a very traumatic experience for her and she is very brave for coming forward.
“Instances such as this are a prime example of how these things can happen here,” he said. “We want to encourage parents to pay close attention to their children if their behavior changes — that is one of key warning signs of potential abuse.”
Bedsole said anyone suspecting instances of child abuse should call the nearest law enforcement agency.
Currently, Townsend is being held in the Covington County Jail on a $650,000 bond.
Comments
Posted by justice (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 7:08 a.m. (Suggest removal)
good job sonny,
Posted by muleskinner_blue (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If he's guilty, he should be hanged on the courthouse steps.
Posted by GetAGrip (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 8:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Great job Chief!!
Posted by Kathy052 (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 8:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This is sick. I think the chief did a great job. But this is sick I mean GetAGrip take it from here for me Please. I can't find the right words for this. But let me take care of him I hope he hangs.
Posted by patwilliam (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
OMG...this is soooo horrible. I know this man, and though I can't attest to his innocence or guilt, it truly is a horrible crime, and I hope for the Love of God he didn't do this, and if he did, he deserves to pay for it with what time he has left in his life. God bless this child for coming forward, and she will need a great deal of therapy for helping in her healing, though she truly will never be healed from this experience.
Posted by GetAGrip (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Castration, Castration, Castration!!! Better than hanging, and much more lasting.
Posted by Beanstalk (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Good job Sonny! Whatever happened to the guy that had the produce stand in Florala? Same thing but it was a boy not a girl under age. Heard he is out on bond wonder if his bond was almost 3/4 of a million? Should be NO BOND for these parasites! They get out on bond and have access to more victims. If they get bond they should not be allowed near children! I know innocent until.... But the children are at stake here! And what’s up with all these sex crimes against children in Covington County?
Posted by lishad (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hanging is too quick and too compassionate for this degenerate! He should be dipped in honey naked, burried in a fire ant bed in the desert in the blazing heat with a baseball bat shoved into every available orifice FORCEFULLY before he is castrated, then and only then, should whatever is left of him be locked up in a Super Max prison with a toatoo on his forehead saying I'M A SHILD MOLESTER!!--The inmates would then take care of him from there--No matter what THEIR offenses were, one thing we can be sure of is that they ALL have mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and/or children of their own and they DON'T stand for guys who like to hurt children! Give him a little taste of the horror and pain he put that poor child through!!!!!!!!
Posted by Kathy052 (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Boy did ya'll hit it on the head. I agree with all of you. This is so sad. I don't know what to think. 74 yrs old. God it is so awful and this child will have to live with this for a long time. I can not believe what is happening to this world. I will go along with alot of things but to molest a child. I can not feel sorry for any of them.
Posted by justice (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 11:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
im glad he is in jail if he did this but did the dhr go to the da's office with there report to issue a warrent or how did this take place wonder.
Posted by Mom3 (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 11:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They should be under house arrest for the rest of their lives. We all know they get released and move on they're sicko-s. Im not sure what the laws are about keeping distances from schools but they wander, they're our neighbors or down the road, they're everywhere Its disgusting, and its just sad that they prey on the young. I watched a Dr Phil show awhile back and the topic was registered offenders, he said they prey on the young because they're more defensless, easy to scare into not telling and it makes the psycho feel dominant. I think all offenders should have a monthly residence check with a house search, so if anything out of the norm or any signs of poprnography they get busted again. How often do they update those offender sites anyway are the adresses and pictures current?
Posted by Beanstalk (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Justice, the 74-year-old male is accused of molesting a child, where there is smoke there is fire they say. But that’s what allegedly took place. Innocent until.... My feelings are, I hope he stays in jail until.... No more victims please. Anyone know what happened to the guy that allegedly fondle that young boy in Florala/Paxton that had the produce stand? Memory serves me correctly he got bonded out and moved to the Andalusia area, guess until conviction he don’t have to register. This is sad and should never happen to children!
Posted by muleskinner_blue (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You think just because you casterate somebody, they won't commit another sex crime? If you have ever been around horses, then you know that some geldings will still mount mares. Excuse me if I'm crass but casteration is not the answer.
Posted by nonsense (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
U ALL CAN SAY WHAT U WANT. HE IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY. I THINK IF THE GRANDMOTHER KNEW SOMETHING ABOUT IT SHE NEEDS TO BE IN JAIL ALSO. I KNEW HIM AS A GOOD MAN. HE IS NOT A MONSTER. LET THE LAW HANDLE THIS.
Posted by justice (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 2:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
beanstalk i agree 110%, trust me, i knew the guy you are refering to can not say where he went to when he first moved to florala he claimed to be like a youth minister he told me then the next thing i knew he was arrested and never heard since.
Posted by lookeyhere (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 2:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yep I have to agree with nonsense,he is innocent until proven guilty.Uh believe it or not there have been cases were people are found to be innocent. Alot of you want to hang the guy before the trial. Now IF he is found guilty I say shoot the bast*rd.
Posted by Thankful (anonymous) on April 16, 2009 at 10:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The man you guys are wandering about has the ebay store and auction company across from Colonial Bank in Andalusia. Don't know the outcome of his case. But I do think that the DA's office needs to go around to all schools and talk with the children and explain to them what is right and wrong in touching, etc. You never know when your child is going to be exposed to a pervert(s). Now-a-days, there are too many out there!!!
Posted by dusty18 (anonymous) on April 17, 2009 at 12:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Let him out - give him a ticket - and send him over to me - we can deal with his problem right here in Baghdad,Iraq.
NUFF SAID!
Posted by Kathy052 (anonymous) on April 17, 2009 at 10:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)
You are right I know a man that was wrongfully accused. But I can tell you it is happening more aand more. I don't know this man and he is innocent till proven guilty. GUILTYYYYYYYYYY. If the wife knew she needs to go to jail. Now days you can not even trust your kids with family or friends but someone that has to mess with kids they need hanging and I don't think they would have done anything to him if it wasn't true. Innocent kids that threaten that they will do this to them or their family if they tell. These kids will have a long road a head of them believe me I no. Yes we have done and found him guilty. But when it comes to a kid I have no sorrow for them. I am sorry that is how I feel and you can say what you want. I don't care if he is 100 he still was wrong. One last thing they will play on that he isn't right or something like that wait and see.
Posted by Imforgiven (anonymous) on April 17, 2009 at 11:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Let the law handle this, there is usually more to a story that what is being told at first. I have know this man for 48 years, and I do not believe that he has done this. He is innocnet until proven guilty. That is the way our justice system works.
Posted by Kathy052 (anonymous) on April 17, 2009 at 1 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes you are right. Like I said I know some good men that have been falsely accused. Then they were proven innocent and even my foster sister (lives in Mobile) was falsely accused and she was proven innocent but you know what IMFORGIVEN even if he is proven innocent he is already a mark man. You know that is the truth. I no I can be a little hard on some stories and I don't mean to. But the law will handle it. But to the people and community (and even tho I don't know him and don't live there I have done and tried him and found him quilty and I am sorry) he has done and been tried and hung and now he has to hang his head in shame. I do pray that he didn't do this. But like you said the Law will handle it.
Posted by GetAGrip (anonymous) on April 17, 2009 at 6:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Not Guilty DOES NOT mean Innocent. There is a difference. Just a thought.
Posted by outlaw11 (anonymous) on April 17, 2009 at 7:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
GetAGrip is correct more so than most people know...law today is not taken nor perserved as it was in the 50s,60s,nor70s...& the 80s took on a change...in the eyes of the today's Court, Not Guilty means hung jury, Innocent means hung jury, and everything else means hung jury...for the most part, someone dropped the ball...police, detective,DA investigator, or it really happened...for the record, I personally know of things that happened during the 6os,70s...Mothers,Grandmothers,Teachers, all flushed this down the toilet as fake...it was not...I married one of these women and it was never settled, she has never come to grips w/this and never will, and we have been apart since 1996...I don't know if this man is guilty, but, if he is...send him to Iraq...if not...send his accusser to Iraq...oh, by the way, he was buried in 1996...
Posted by Kathy052 (anonymous) on April 18, 2009 at 4:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Outlaw11 you are right and with your wife it will haunt her till the day she dies. Mine was back in the 60's and he died in 1979 and there were alot of us that he did it to and he was a realtive and back then that was a nono you didn't have anyone to tell or you were punished. If I had half the money I spent in counselling trying to cope I wouldn't have any worries. One time Dr. Richard Spurlin told me if I ever wrote a book it would be a number one seller. I have beeen writing that book for years and it is to painful to go back and relive. You may go on but you sure don't forget and back in them days woman and young men weren't safe. God be with all.
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