Willett sentenced to 10 years in prison

Jerome Arthur Willett appeared in Judge James Wheelis’ courtroom Monday and reaffirmed his guilty plea, accepting a sentence of 10 years in prison for the crime of sexual abuse of children.

Willett pleaded guilty to the charge Nov. 17, 2014, following an agreement with the Lincoln County Attorney’s Office in which two similar charges were dismissed and the prosecutor would offer a sentencing recommendation of five years, eight months in prison. The five years would be suspended under the agreement, with Willett given eight months credit for time served between his arrest in April 2014 and his release in November, after the plea agreement.

The charges stem from several incidents which took place between July 1, 2013 and Aug. 19, 2013, while the then-14-year-old was staying at her father’s residence in Libby.

Wheelis rejected the agreement March 2, instead accepting the presentence recommendation provided by Adult Probation and Parole Office Darrell Vanderhoef. He interviewed Willett and reviewed the psychosexual evaluation conducted by Dr. Keith Myers and recommended a sentence of 10 years.

Wheelis followed Vanderhoef’s recommendation, sentencing Willett to the maximum allowed under law, 10 years, with credit for the eight months he served prior to accepting the plea agreement.

Willett will also be required to complete at least the first two phases of sex offender treatment. The Department of Corrections will determine if the third phase is required prior to parole eligibility.

The victim’s mother, whose name is being withhled so as to not identify the juvenile victim, was pleased with Judge Wheelis’ sentence.

“I am very happy. I’m very pleased with the judge. I think justice has been served. We’re all very pleased with it,” she said.

The victim and her mother were prepared to come to Lincoln County in the event Willett withdrew his plea, but were not looking forward to taking the case to trial.

Now, the young victim can move on.

“She (the victim) was very nervous and stressed about today,” the mother said. “She woke up several times during the night worried about it. She will be very happy when I tell her what happened.”

As the elevator doors closed in front of Willett and Officer Vanderhoef on the way downstairs to the Lincoln County jail, this painful chapter closed in the life of a 14-year-old victim of sexual abuse.

“This is definitely a chapter that’s closed. She can start to heal now,” the victim’s mother said of her daughter.