Sentencing in Hancock County case of sexual misconduct with a minor

A Hancock County man was sentenced following a conviction for two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor.

William Rather, 43, was sentenced this week to 14 years. The sentencing concludes a detailed investigation launched on December 31, 2024, by the Greenfield Police Department. It had been reported that a 15 year-old girl was engaged in a sexual relationship with an adult male.

The Hancock County Prosecutor noted that the plea agreement in this case called for sentencing anywhere from 8 to 15 years. Prosecutors requested the full 15 years in prison. The defense asked the court to impose a split sentence of 14 years, with four years to be served, four years on house arrest, and six years suspended to probation. The Court decided on a 14-year sentence, with 10 years in prison followed by four years of house arrest.

The victim’s mother, concerned for her daughter's emotional well-being, chose not to have her present at the sentencing, but was supportive of the plea agreement and the recommendation from the Prosecutor’s Office for 15 years in prison.

The Greenfield Police Department led the investigation. On the night of the report, police executed a search warrant at Rather’s residence. They found physical evidence consistent with the allegations. Digital evidence gathered from the victim's phone corroborated the existence of an inappropriate and illegal relationship.

Rather later admitted during an interview that he engaged in sexual activity with the 15 year-old and was aware of her age. He confirmed details about drug and alcohol use in the home, including the presence of other juveniles.

“We respect the decision of the Court. In this case, the probation department prepared a pre-sentence report, which was a lengthy review of the background of this defendant. In that report, they agreed with the State’s recommendation for 15 years in prison for this defendant. It was disappointing to see the Court chose to go a different way in this case. We did not believe this defendant to be appropriate for anything other than a fully executed sentence in prison. We are very grateful for the work of Detective Jenkins from the Greenfield Police Department, whose hard work helped us to have the evidence needed to achieve this result. We also appreciate the work of the staff at HCPO, Chief Deputy Prosecutor Aimee Herring, and Deputy Prosecutor Abby Jessup," said Hancock County Prosecutor Brent Eaton.