Beatty

BEDFORD — A Defiance man was sentenced to nine to 23 months in the Bedford County Correctional Facility for raping a woman after preventing her from leaving his residence for two days.

As part of a plea deal in Bedford County Court on Friday, William Robert Beatty Jr., 32, pleaded guilty to single misdemeanor counts of unlawful restraint, making terroristic threats and simple assault in exchange for dismissing the remaining charges of felony rape, indecent deviate sexual intercourse, strangulation, misdemeanor indecent assault, unlawful restraint and summary harassment.

Beatty will be held in the Bedford County Correctional Facility, to be followed by two years of probation, with credit for time served since Sept. 2, 2024. He was also ordered to undergo drug and alcohol treatment, behavioral health assessment and pay fines and restitution totaling about $3,280.

The victim gave a statement during the hearing, choosing to address President Judge Travis W. Livengood rather than Beatty. She described the aftermath of the incident, saying she isolated herself from others, had nightmares, high anxiety, panic attacks and that she was “taking really long showers and still not feeling clean enough.”

“I would be lying if I said I was 100% completely healed from what happened,” she said, adding that she was giving herself credit for her progress.

She told Livengood that what Beatty did was “completely unnecessary” and she suffered because of “someone else’s actions and lack of self control.” She said she was unable to forgive Beatty for the “physical, mental and emotional” damage he caused.

“For what? His own pleasure, which is disgusting,” she said.

Livengood commended the victim for her progress.

“It’s certainly a lot to put in your rearview mirror,” Livengood said.

When given the opportunity to speak, Beatty said, “No, I’m good.”

The case stems from state police at Bedford responding to UPMC Bedford on Sept. 1, 2024, to interview the victim. The victim told officers she had been staying with Beatty for the previous two days, during which time Beatty verbally assaulted, strangled and raped her while preventing her from leaving his residence.