Walker Co. man sentenced to five life sentences on sex charges
73-year-old man sentenced to five life sentences on sex charges
A 73-year-old Walker County man has been sentenced to five life terms behind bars after being convicted of rape, aggravated sexual battery, aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, sexual battery against a child, and child molestation.
Wesley Lebron Romine was convicted Nov. 30 by a Walker County Superior Court jury. Judge Don Thompson sentenced Romine to five consecutive life sentences, followed by 63 years, all to be served in prison.
According to District Attorney Chris Arnt:
The case came to light after a juvenile relative showed Snapchat photos to her father of Romine touching her in inappropriate ways. The matter was immediately reported to the Walker County Sheriff’s Office, where Detective Sgt. Pepper Stanfield was assigned to conduct a follow up investigation. The child victim was interviewed by Holly Kittle, a forensic interviewer with the Lookout Mountain Children’s Advocacy Center.
The victim, 13, told investigators that Romine had been molesting her since she was very young. She was a frequent visitor to his home and was continually sexually abused over an eight-year period. In her testimony at trial, the victim told the jury she had taken photos of Romine molesting her with her cell phone because she was afraid no one would believe her without them.
The trial lasted three days and included testimony from two other close adult family members who recounted years of abuse by Romine. This testimony was admitted by the court under OCGA § 24-4-413 and 414, which allows juries to hear evidence
of other sexual acts and crimes committed by a defendant. After the verdict was announced, one of the close family members stated, “We can now have closure and know that someone finally believed us.”
The case was presented to the jury by Assistant District Attorneys Bruce Roberts and Ansley House, with support from Victim/Witness advocate Cindy Clark and DA Investigator Christy Smith.
“This case shows the true devastation that child sexual abuse causes,” Arnt said. “Two women have spent most of their lives trying to cope with what this child molester did to them; and even though it had been well over thirty years since this defendant last molested them, both of these witnesses broke down in tears when describing their abuse at the defendant’s hands. Successful prosecution of these cases takes a team effort to gather the necessary evidence and put together a compelling case. We are blessed to have one of the absolute best Children’s Advocacy Centers in the state to work with. Thanks to the efforts of Detective Stanfield and ADA Bruce Roberts this predator’s reign of abuse is ended.”