Man sentenced for offenses involving teenager

By Linda Cicoira

A 65-year-old Horntown man was sentenced to seven active years in prison Thursday in Accomack Circuit Court for having sex with a young teenage foster child and robbing her of a cell phone in January 2023.

Willis Herbert Townsend, of Horntown Road, was given seven years for carnal knowledge and 20 years with 13 years suspended for robbery. Judge Lynwood W. Lewis Jr. set the terms to run concurrently for a total of seven years.

Townsend has already served more than two years of his time, having been held in the Accomack Jail without bond since April 2023. Around that time, it was ruled that he was a danger to the public, especially since a firearm was involved.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Spencer Morgan noted that Townsend had a prior charge in Maryland involving a sexual offense. The prosecutor said he disagreed with the psychosexual evaluation finding that Townsend has a “below-average” chance of committing another crime. Townsend must register as a sex offender and is prohibited from having contact with the victim.

According to forensic results, the defendant could not be eliminated as the suspect. He pleaded guilty to robbery and the lesser charge of carnal knowledge, rather than rape, the initial charge. In a plea agreement, counts of soliciting child pornography, sexual abuse of a child, assault and battery, brandishing a firearm, and property destruction were not prosecuted.

Morgan said at the trial that the child is in foster care in another state. The agreement protected the 13-year-old from testifying in an “ugly and very damaging trial,” he added.

A proffer of the evidence stated another resident found the girl on the side of the road and took her to the sheriff’s office, where she told of the gruesome encounter.