Former Fire Chief Convicted Of Sex Charges

BY JIM TALBERT
MEDIA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE

TAZEWELL, Va. – Former Richlands Fire Chief William Darrell “Apple” Vance was found guilty of aggravated sexual battery and indecent liberties with a minor in custodial care, following a four-day trial that ended Thursday.
Vance was indicted in May 2008. He was charged with five counts of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of indecent liberties in Tazewell County, and three counts of aggravated sexual battery in Russell County.
The trial was in Tazewell County Circuit Court and the jury convicted him on all 10 counts.
The crimes took place between 1996 and 2007 at Vance’s home in Richlands, Va., and a second house he owned in Swords Creek, Va., prosecutors said.
The commonwealth presented testimony from three female victims, two who are members of Vance’s family and another who was a neighbor child. They took the stand Tuesday and told stories of trusting and loving the man they called “D.”
The children said they looked forward to visits with Vance and described many good times at both homes.
Members of the Vance family, including his wife, took the stand to relate how Vance became “a child himself’ when he was around children. They described Vance wrestling and horsing around with the children and said the kids couldn’t wait for him to get home. 
Several members of the Richlands community testified that Vance loved children and they loved him. All of the defense witnesses stated they never saw any child show hesitation or fear around Vance.
Special Prosecutor Gaye Leonard accused Vance of “hiding in plain sight’ and using the wrestling and other play to get away with inappropriate conduct.
Two children testified that Vance came into their bedroom and took advantage of them while his wife was taking a bath before going to bed.
The third child said Vance picked her up from school and took her to both houses. She testified that she and Vance were alone a number of times.
Authorities were contacted in January 2008, when the child went to a school guidance counselor after seeing the video “Good Touch, Bad Touch,” which teaches children about appropriate and inappropriate touching. 
Vance’s defense attorneys, Mike Dennis and Robert Galumbeck, said his wife kept the door open while bathing in case the children needed her. They also said the antique bed in the bedroom squeaked with the slightest movement.
Leonard countered that Sandy Vance thought her husband was going into the room to say good night and if the bed squeaked he was just horsing around with the children.
Vance vehemently denied any inappropriate behavior with children and said there were always people present when children were at his house.
Both he and his wife said they always arrived home within a few minutes of each other and a son was home much of the time.
Leonard argued that it took very little time to do the types of things Vance did to the children.
Vance was a member of the Richlands Fire Department for more than 30 years and served as chief for several years.
The jury also recommended that Vance spend 90 years in prison, 10 years for each of the sexual battery counts and five for each charge of taking indecent liberties. A judge will sentence Vance at a later date.

Jim Talbert writes for the Richlands News-Press.