William D. McCawley, age 29 of Barren County, KY was indicted by a Jefferson County Grand Jury on July 26, 2016 and charged with Rape 3rd Degree. According to the indictment, McCawley was indicted under Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) 516.060- Rape in the third degree, which occurs when the accused: “Being twenty-one (21) years old or more . . . engages in sexual intercourse with another person less than sixteen (16) years old.”
McCawley was arrested and booked in the Jefferson County Detention Center on July 27, 2016 on a $10,000.00 cash bond. McCawley will be arraigned in Jefferson County on August 1, 2016. An indictment is not a conviction or indicator of guilt.
Tim Highbaugh, Barren County Sports League President confirmed McCawley was an assistant coach for one of the league’s All Star teams. Highbaugh said, “When this was reported to me on July 11th, I was shocked. We take every precaution to ensure our coaches are right for the kids. They go through a background check conducted by First Advantage. If an incident occurs during the season, they are removed from their position. We try to make sure every I is dotted and every T is crossed. I understand McCawley has not been convicted of this crime but the Grand Jury felt they had enough probable cause to indict him. That within itself tells me they system has failed a child, which is heartbreaking.”
The Babe Ruth organization requires every coach, board member, and umpire have a background check before taking part in any activities. McCawley’s background check was conducted in 2016, according to Charles Kerney, Barren County Parks and Recreation Director. Kerney went on to say, “We do everything within our power to prevent things like this from happening. We put our trust in the systems we have to follow. Unfortunately, sometimes things are not what they seem.” Kerney went on to say, “We are starting an investigation into how our background check company, who is recommended by Babe Ruth Corporate, can let a convicted felon get through their system. This is a national background check, and the alleged individual’s background check came back clear.”
Under the open records law, information was obtained that, in 2008, McCawley was charged and convicted with felonies in Barren and Monroe counties.
Highbaugh concluded by saying, “In today’s world, something like this would not be shocking in a large city, but in Glasgow-Barren County, it is unheard of. We will do everything possible to ensure this never happens again. The system has failed everyone, especially the victim and her family. What a tragedy for this to happen in our community.”
Story courtesy of wcluradio.com