2 men sentenced to probation for gang-rape of 13-year-old girl, triggering backlash
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Clarence Williams, left, and Tommy Williams, right, were each sentenced on Tuesday to a minimum of 10 years of sex offender intensive supervised probation, with a maximum of life on probation. (Colorado Springs Police Department)
A family in Colorado is outraged after two men, who were accused of gang-raping a 13-year-old girl with their brothers and cousins, were only sentenced to probation.
Tommy Williams, 20, and Clarence Williams, 19, were each sentenced on Tuesday to a minimum of 10 years of sex offender intensive supervised probation, with a maximum of life on probation, KKTV reported.
The men are two of six suspects accused of sexually assaulting the young teen in December 2016 inside of the Stonebrook Terrace apartment complex in Colorado Springs.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED GIRL, 15, SUSPENDED AFTER REPORTING GANG RAPE AT NYC SCHOOL, LAWSUIT SAYS
The victim's grandfather was shocked at the sentencing, telling the news station: "There was six of them and they gang-raped my granddaughter."
The group of suspects — some of whom are reportedly related as cousins or brothers and identified as Jacolby Williams, Tyron Williams, James Williams, and a juvenile, in addition to Tommy and Clarence — were with the girl on Dec. 19, according to The Gazette.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}From left to right in top row, Tyron Williams, Clarence Williams and Jacolby Williams, and left to right in bottom row, James Williams and Tommy Williams were all accused of gang-raping a 13-year-old girl in December 2016. (Colorado Springs Police Department via KOAA)
The victim told police she knew one of the men, and he invited her into the apartment to play video games. The 13-year-old said she went to the home with some female friends, but they left when she went to the bathroom.
Arrest records, KKTV reported, state that two of the men then pulled the teen from the bathroom and forced her into a bedroom where the other four suspects were waiting.
More on crime...
The victim's grandmother said at a sentencing in February that her granddaughter was passed around the group of men "like a hand on a clock" during the attack. She added in court Tuesday that the 13-year-old may never be able to have children.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In January 2017, Tyron Williams was also sentenced to 10 years to life of sex offender intense supervised probation. Before his sentencing, he apologized to the victim and her family, and reportedly said that "If I knew she was underage, it wouldn't have happened in the first place."
James Williams was sentenced in August 2016 to five years of probation, and the unidentified juvenile reportedly has an impending court date. Jacolby Williams' trial was scheduled for March 5; it's unclear what transpired.