In Rice County, a case that has been painstakingly followed by both law enforcement and the community has come to a close. Paul Michael Willis, 44, was sentenced to 13 years in prison after being convicted of raping a young teenager in his Warsaw home. Credited with building the case that led to Willis's conviction are Sheriff’s investigators John Pesta and Sgt. Trevor Peterson. The investigators supported their findings with a daunting body of evidence, including over 10,000 sexually explicit texts and several dozen nude images of the victim found on Willis’ phone, according to a release from the Rice County Attorney's Office.
In a statement obtained by Rice County Newsflash, Chief Deputy Rice County Attorney Wendy Murphy highlighted the importance of the investigative team's approach: "Investigators Pesta and Peterson started their investigation by believing the victim." This initial belief in the victim's claims was pivotal, aiding in constructing a case that concentrated on the offender's actions and harm inflicted, rather than on the actions of the victim. The efficiency of the victim-centered approach has proven its merit in this case.
The collaboration between various departments, including Rice County Social Services, Community Corrections staff, and law enforcement, was also praised by Murphy. Their concerted efforts played a role in holding Willis to account after he violated the terms of his pretrial release. Willis's attorney, Joseph Vaccaro, had argued for a lesser sentence, citing mental health concerns, claiming that his client was treating his bipolar disorder with alcohol, which influenced his criminal conduct. Vaccaro also mentioned that Willis disobeyed the court's visitation directions because he was trying to be a responsible father, which inadvertently led him to breach his conditions of release.
Judge Karie M. Anderson oversaw the proceedings and, upon accepting Willis' guilty plea, which was arranged in March with the County Attorney’s Office, handed down a sentence of 156 months. Willis was credited for 372 days served and is required to register as a predatory offender. Further, a second count of criminal sexual conduct, along with two counts each of possession of child pornography and sending sexually explicit texts to a child, was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
