Latest Headlines
- Century Hires City Treasurer From Michigan As Their New Town Clerk
- Century, UWF, Brownsville Cut From Early Voting Sites For Congressional Special Primary
- Eglin Air Force Base Said To Be Source Of Boom, SpaceX Splashes Down
- Dogs Rescued From Fire That Damaged Cottage Hill Home
- Jim Allen Elementary Names Students Of The Month
- Century Picking Up A Little Extra Money By Mowing Library Lawn, Installing Christmas Lights
- Tate Lady Aggies Down Northview (With Photo Gallery)
- Funerals Services Announced For Hattie Marie McGary, Owner Of Cantonment Cafe
- Tate Aggies Win Two Over The Atmore Blue Devils
- Escambia Man Took $20K In Merchandise From Walmart Stores Across Southeast, Police Say
Man Pleads To Lesser Charge In Barn Massage Case
January 14, 2013
A Century man that was charged with felony sexual assault for alleged improper conduct while performing a massage on a female in his barn has pleaded no contest to a lesser charge.
Judge Terry Terrell withheld adjudication on a misdemeanor charge of battery against William Haynes Gandy, 68. He was sentenced to one year probation and 25 hours of community service.
The victim told deputies that she met Gandy about a year ago because “he is a well known certified massage therapist”, and she had gone through massage therapy school and was told Gandy might be able to help her find a job. The victim later stopped pursuing a job, but Gandy did give her a few free massages associated with her pregnancy, the arrest report states.
After giving birth to her child, the victim told deputies that she began to ignore Gandy’s phone calls until he told her to come over, bring her resume and get a free massage and “see what he could do about getting her a job”, the report states.
The victim said Gandy took her to a barn outside his home where he keeps his massage table and equipment. She was partially unclothed and covered by a sheet, the arrest report states, when she claimed Gandy began to touch her inappropriately and against her will.
Gandy told deputies that at no time did he inappropriately touch the victim.
Comments
16 Responses to “Man Pleads To Lesser Charge In Barn Massage Case”
@ Sara
This type of thing happens all over the world, and dates back to biblical times! So, it’s not only in Century!
He should not have even invited her to the barn in the first place! Shun the appearance of evi!
CONCERNING:
“Is Bill Gandy guity or innocent? ”
He is legally guilty of misdemeanor battery. We would never have known anything else unless we were personally present at the time in question. Even then we might not know since much depends on what is going on inside the mind at the time.
David answering question
“If I were innocent I would do everything I could to prove I was, I don’t care if it took 2+ years of going through the court system to prove it.”
————-
At $250 an hour for a good attorney, that could add up….
Facts are he plead No Contest, he could not prove his innocence, nor wanted to admit guilt. It is a guilty persons way of getting off easy.
An earlier commenter said if she dropped the charges there would be no case. That is not accurate, the state can pick up the charges and continue without the victim’s consent.
If I were innocent I would do everything I could to prove I was, I don’t care if it took 2+ years of going through the court system to prove it. So would any one else that knows for a fact they are innocent.
To me anyone who pleads No Contest are guilty. They just get offered a plea bargain for a lighter charge and get off easy. Period.
Only in Century..
>>>>I find it sad that this local paper finds the need to write such negatively focused and also biased articles instead of taking a more professional and fact based approach in reporting its stories. There are several important factors that the articles written on this case have neglected to include in an effort to paint a more gloomy picture of the events and where the actually took place. With a degree in Enlish and a background in journalism, it is just upsetting to see.
The article is written directly from the arrest report and court records. It’s hard to be more credible or more “fact based” than that. There is not information contained in the official documents that we have “neglected to include”, except the details of the alleged assault.
Is Bill Gandy guity or innocent? Only Bill and the young lady know for sure. Why didn’t he write a letter of Recommendation instead of giving her a massage?
I find it sad that this local paper finds the need to write such negatively focused and also biased articles instead of taking a more professional and fact based approach in reporting its stories. There are several important factors that the articles written on this case have neglected to include in an effort to paint a more gloomy picture of the events and where the actually took place. With a degree in Enlish and a background in journalism, it is just upsetting to see.
Whatever happened to Innocent until proven guilty? Seems to me these days it is guilty until proven innocent. It is a crying shame that this man’s face has been plastered all over the tv and papers and that he had to hire a lawyer to defend these accusations all because of a woman’s words. His whole family has had to deal with this situation, so she did not hurt only him, but his family and friends too. What is an even greater shame is that NOWHERE has the accusers name or pictiure been plastered on tv and paper as has his. I feel that even if she is the “victim” the public has a right to know. I just want Bill to know that “This too shall Pass”, and if she has falsely accused him of wrongdoing then she will have to answer to a Higher Authority and there is no getting out of that. Bill, there are people out there who believe in you and your innocence and are praying for you, don’t forget that. God Bless You!
I’m sorry “from someone who knows” but if that’s true & she dropped it, he wouldn’t have to plead no contest. It would have been over when she dropped it….if the victim drops charges, there’s no longer a case to be found not guilty of or plead no contest to.
Good people can put themselves in bad situations that can get out of control or just mis-understood. However if a person FEELS they have been improperly touched, that says it all!!! It is up to you to know what is offensive to you. Apparently this lady was offended enough to call the police, instead of accepting an apology and removing herself from the situation. No One has a right to touch someone that does not want to be touched,!!!
How could anything go wrong?… Come on out to my barn for a free massage should have thrown up a red flag.
wow…don’t even know where to begin…
There is no way ANYTHING could possibly go wrong with this scenario…
Jay Leno needs to hear about this.
From someone who knows:
All felony charges were dropped because there was no case. He was not found guilty. He plead no contest to get the case over with because he put himself in a bad situation. He did not admit to anything. There was nothing to admit. Everything this girl alleged was dropped. You people need to be careful with your comments. This situation could happen to anyone at any time.
If someone wants to take you into a barn for a massage it is probably not gonna end well. Call me old fashioned but I like mine in the woodshed.