The second person involved in the alleged sexual abuse of a 3-year-old child will face a Marshall County grand jury in March, a Marshall County magistrate judge determined Tuesday.
William Robert Bevel, 31, of Bridgeport appeared before Magistrate Mark Kerwood for a preliminary hearing meant to determine whether probable cause existed for the case to be bound over to Marshall County Circuit Court. Bevel faces charges of first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree sexual assault and more charges related to sex crimes against a minor. His estranged wife, Carrie Jo Bevel, 22, of Wheeling had charges of displaying obscene material to a minor, first-degree sexual abuse, sexual abuse by a custodian and permitting sexual abuse by a guardian bound over to circuit court during a hearing Monday.
The couple was initially investigated on these charges in 2007 by the state Department of Health and Human Resources after it learned of abuse accusations and again in 2009 by the West Virginia State Police, which investigated sexual abuse claims. The alleged incidents took place sometime in 2007 and 2008.
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Photo by J.W. Johnson Jr.
William Bevel, right, sits with his attorney, John Anderson, during a hearing Tuesday in Marshall County Magistrate Court. Bevel and his estranged wife, Carrie Bevel, will face a Marshall County grand jury in March on numerous sexual abuse charges.
The most recent investigation came about after the victim began making disturbing comments to teachers, prompting the school's resource officer to report the information to the sheriff's department and request an investigation. Investigators used information from three interviews with the victim conducted at Harmony House in May 2009 and November 2010, during which the victim recounted engaging in sexual acts with William and Carrie Bevel.
In addition, Carrie Bevel allegedly showed pornographic videos to the victim at various times while the couple lived on Roosevelt Avenue in Benwood.
Though Carrie Bevel denied knowledge or involvement during a Dec. 9 interview with investigators, on Tuesday Detective Zachary Allman testified that William Bevel described his role in at least one incident in which he said he and Carrie Bevel did engage in a sexual act with the victim.
That information was told to Allman during a Dec. 17 meeting at the West Virginia Northern Regional Jail. The interview was recorded by Allman.
William Bevel's attorney, John Anderson, asked Kerwood to delay the hearing until the tape could be produced and reviewed by him and his client.
He argued Allman's recollection of the interview was not the "best evidence" available to be used during the hearing.
However, Marshall County Assistant Prosecutor John Artimez said the point of the proceedings was to determine probable cause, which Allman's testimony had done.
William Bevel was returned to the Northern Regional Jail, where he is being held on $250,000 bond. Carrie Bevel's bond was reduced Monday from $100,000 to $50,000 with the stipulation of home confinement.