SUPERIOR COURT
A Jones County jury found the defendant in a child molestation case guilty of both offenses for which he was charged. The result is very likely a life sentence and a family forever divided.
Willie C. Cleveland was sentenced April 26 to 25 years for the charge of aggravated child molestation, followed by life on probation, and 20 years for the charge of child molestation. The sentences will run concurrently for a total of 25 years, which, by law, is not parolable.
Cleveland is 68. Assistant District Attorney Cara Fiore prosecuted the case with Jones County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Kenny Gleaton, the lead investigator in the case. Defense Attorney Keith Fitzgerald represented Cleveland, and Chief Superior Court Judge Brenda Trammell presided. The case lasted one day, beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday morning. The jury received the case and began their deliberations at 3:30 p.m. They had a verdict at 5:23 p.m.
The state’s witnesses included the victim in this case, her mother and two others who came forward after Cleveland was charged. Gleaton and Bibb County Deputy George Witherspoon were also witnesses for the state.
The incident that was the reason for the charges took place in 2015 but was not reported to law enforcement until 2021. The victim was 12 at the time of the incident and told her mother then. However, she did not speak to law enforcement until she was 18.
The crime was first reported in Bibb County, where the victim resides. It was moved to Jones County, where the crime occurred, following an investigation by Witherspoon.
The chief witness for the defense was Cleveland’s wife. She told the court she was at home every night during the time span the molestation was to have occurred. The witness talked about the call she received from the victim’s mother, telling her what had happened, after which she said she told the mother the child should be taken to a doctor and seen about.
The defendant’s sister and two other witnesses testified to Cleveland’s good character.
Fitzgerald gave his closing arguments first. He referred to the victim’s story as a fish story and fairy tale. He said the victim received no counseling after she allegedly told her mother what happened and that was telling.
The attorney painted the victim’s mother as controlling and putting on a show in an interview that was shown in court.
“The mother did the talking and bullied her own daughter,” he said.
The defense attorney focused on what he saw as reasonable doubt in the evidence.
Fiore began her arguments agreeing what the victim reported was not a fairy tale.
“Her monster is very real, and he is sitting right there,” she said, pointing to the defendant.
The prosecutor asked what reason the victim had to make up what happened.
“She loved the defendant, and she had to tell 14 people she does not know about the worst moment in her life,’ Fiore said.
She said the fact the crime was not reported after it happened is a decision all victims have to make.
“It’s not the decision everyone makes, but they wanted to keep it in the family,” she said.
The prosecutor said she does not give a lot of importance to character witnesses because no one knows what goes on behind closed doors. She compared Cleveland, who had been a coach for several years, to Jerry Sandusky and Larry Nasser, who both molested the athletes they coached.
She said the victim told her own story.
“It’s hard to know what to do when you’re hurt by someone you love,” Fiore said.
The prosecutor pointed out that the testimony of a single witness is enough for a guilty verdict, but the evidence presented showed much more.
She said the victim struggles with what happened every day.
“It’s time for the monster in her nightmares to face what he did,” the prosecutor concluded.
