A 47 year old man accused of providing beer to two fourteen year old girls and engaging in sexual activity with them almost a year ago pleaded guilty to two counts of rape in DeKalb County Criminal Court Monday, January 23
Judge Leon Burns, Jr. sentenced Walter Hartman to an eight year term in each case to serve. The sentences will run consecutively or back to back for a total of sixteen years. Hartman must register as a sex offender and he will be under supervision for life. He was given jail credit from February 26, 2011 to January 23, 2012.
According to Detective Matt Holmes of the Smithville Police Department, who investigated the case, the incident occurred around 1:00 a.m. Saturday morning, February 26 at Hartman’s home where a birthday party had been held Friday night for one of the girls, who is related to Hartman. The other girl is a friend who had come over for the party and had planned to stay the night.
Detective Holmes said that Hartman had given the girls three beers each for the birthday party and the girls told police that they had drank some of the beer. Later, as the girls were lying on a pallet in the floor watching TV, Hartman approached them complaining of back pain. He asked the girls to give him a back massage. After one of the girls fell asleep on the pallet, Hartman allegedly began massaging the other girl’s back, before removing nearly all of her clothes, and then engaging in sexual activity with her. He also allegedly made sexual contact with the girl who had fallen asleep.
Detective Holmes said the girls later contacted police to report that they had been raped.
Meanwhile, a Dowelltown woman, accused of breaking into the home of a neighbor on four separate occasions last July while the victim was in the nursing home, has been convicted of four counts of aggravated burglary
40 year old Tammy Denise Currie pleaded guilty to all four counts in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Monday.
She received a six year sentence in each case to run concurrently. The sentences have been suspended to supervised probation by community corrections. She has been ordered to stay away from the victim and family and make restitution totaling $8,250, paying $250 monthly. She was given jail credit from July 26, 2011 to January 23, 2012
According to Sheriff Patrick Ray, Currie took advantage of her neighbor being in a nursing home, going to the residence on East Main Street, Dowelltown four times in July to remove items from the home.
On each occasion, Currie entered the residence through a back door
On July 5, Currie allegedly stole several dishes, antique plate sets, China sets, and other glass items valued at $200.
Three days later on July 8, Currie allegedly took more dishware from the home, valued at $150 including China cups, matching some of the dishes taken on July 5.
Currie returned to the home on July 12 and allegedly stole a box of China dolls, two bb guns, and two lamps, valued at $475.
On July 14, Currie entered the home again and allegedly took a suitcase, jewelry, and a VCR, valued at $390.
39 year old Melisha Cantrell pleaded guilty to simple possession of a schedule II controlled substance. She received a sentence of 11 months and 29 days on probation, including six months supervised and six months unsupervised. Cantrell must also pay a fine of $750.
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