William Ronca Gets Prison for Sex with Stepdaughter

(Abbeville, South Carolina) In January 2006, 26-year-old William "Billy" Edward Ronca was arrested for raping his 9-year-old stepdaughter. Ronca was charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor and locked up in the Abbeville County Jail on $250,000 bail.

In April 2006, the girl, at 10 years old, gave birth by Caesarean section. A DNA test confirmed that Ronca is the father. The child was put up for adoption while the girl's mother filed for divorce from Ronca. Understandably, local interest in the case has been intense.

In the latest development in the case, William Ronca pleaded guilty yesterday in the Abbeville County Courthouse to first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor. Eighth Judicial Circuit Deputy Solicitor John Anthony told the judge that the 3rd-grader was regularly raped by Ronca for about two years. Following the plea, 13th Judicial Circuit Court Judge Gary Hill sentenced Ronca to 25 years in prison.

From Index Journal:

A visibly shaken Brian Jones -- the father of the young girl -- stepped forward to address the court about the events that had befallen his daughter.

"There are no words to describe the devastation that has been brought upon my daughter and our family," Jones said, often stopping for brief moments to gather his emotions. "I know that what (Ronca) did to her will forever haunt her for the rest of her life."

"Every time she changes her clothes or gets into the shower, she will see the stretch marks and see the scar. She'll probably never recover from what happened."

Both the victim's grandmothers, Barbara Jones and Bonnie Moody, asked the court for justice. Grandmother Jones talked of "a scar that will never go away." In a pleading voice, grandmother Moody said, "She has been stripped of her childhood and stripped of her innocence. Please remember that you are her voice."

Ronca spoke and asked for forgiveness. His short statement ended with a request "that my God and the court have mercy on me." Ronca's mother, Jeanne Lezotte, also asked for the court to show mercy.

In Ronca's defense, attorney Tara Schultz emphasized her client's troubled past which includes theft, drug use, attempted suicide and psychiatric care. Schultz also mentioned Ronca's stand up nature -- willingness to admit his crime and accept his punishment.

In conclusion, William Ronca got 25 years in state prison of which he must complete 85 percent prior to being eligible for parole. Doing the math, that would be 21 years and three months from today. On some day in July 2028, Ronca may have his initial parole hearing. Of course, first he'll have to survive the big house for more than two decades as a convicted child molester. Easy to say, much harder to do.