Girls testify against Stagecoach man

DAYTON - Following an afternoon of testimony from three young girls Wednesday, a Lyon County judge found there was enough evidence to try a Stagecoach man on 17 counts of child sexual assault and lewdness.

A shackled and now-bearded William Billy Jack Caron, 35, appeared in Dayton Justice Court before Justice of the Peace Pro Tem Steve Kibbe, who bound Caron over on five counts of lewdness with a minor under 14 and 12 counts of sexual assault of a child under 14.

Wednesday's hearing brings the total of alleged victims to five. Caron is related to two of the victims. In April Caron was bound over on three other counts of sexual assault.

In a mature demeanor that belied her 12 years, one victim detailed the alleged sexual assault at the hands of Caron that spanned five months in 2009. The Nevada Appeal does not identify victims of sexual assault.

Several of the incidents, she said, allegedly happened at Caron's Stagecoach home, while others happened in his truck during trips into Carson City to pick up his wife from work.

She said that on at least one occasion, Caron allegedly used oral sex as punishment for her driving off the dirt road where he was teaching her to drive.

"He told me to count to 100," the girl said, "but I got to 15 and told him to stop. It was really uncomfortable."

In another instance, she said, he wanted her to touch his genitals for a pack of gum. When she refused, saying, "that would be really gross," Caron allegedly became angry and slammed his truck door. So she relented.

"I didn't want him mad 'cause I get really scared when he gets mad," she said, adding later, "He's a big man. He's scary when he gets mad."

The allegations came to light, she said, when she found her sister upset at school. When she asked her about it, the sister allegedly said, "Billy keeps raping me." The girl said she had no idea it was happening to her sister as well.

The sisters decided to tell a teacher who took them to a counselor and called their parents.

When her father found out, the girl said, he cried.

On cross examination, Defense Attorney Ken Ward asked if she made the allegations after Caron and her father got into an argument over a sexual relationship Caron's roommate Andrew Carpenter, 21, was having with her 11-year-old sister.

The girl said that despite the argument between the two men, she was not forbidden from going to Caron's home.

On July 26, co-defendant Carpenter, of Lyon County, pleaded guilty to lewdness with a minor under 14 and was sentenced to 10 years to life in prison.

During testimony Wednesday another 12-year-old girl testified that when she was 9 years old, she and her sister would visit Caron's home.

She said that on several occasions Caron would sexually assault her at the home he shared with his mother and wife. She said he also assaulted her in the desert in his truck.

"About how many times did something happen," asked Lyon County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Krueger.

"I can't count there were so many," she said.

Upon questioning by Ward, the girl said she told her mother what happened after her mother learned Caron had been arrested on sexual assault charges.

"My mom said every time after I came back from his house I was mad," she said.

Her sister also testified that Caron allegedly fondled her at least three times at his home.

Caron, who has been in custody on $400,000 bail since his arrest in December, will be arraigned in District Court in Yerington on Aug. 30.

If convicted, Caron could potentially face 35 years to life on each count.