William Thomas Wilburn, a 47 year old, Saint Charles, Missouri, man has been arrested. He has a cash only $100,000 bail. Wilburn is currently being charged with statutory rape 1st degree, statutory sodomy and enticement of a child according to the St. Charles County Prosecutor's Office.

These charges come after Wilburn met a 14 year old girl on a phone chat earlier this year, back in May. While talking to the girl on the phone he made arrangements to meet her the next day. Wilburn drove from Saint Charles County to Saint Louis County, and then took her to his apartment in Saint Charles, Missouri.

The Saint Charles Police report that Wilburn touched the girl inappropriately in the parking lot of his apartment complex, and then took her to his apartment. Once inside his apartment he administered the teen an injection of an unknown substance causing the teen to become disorientated. That is when he sexually assaulted her, and then took photographs of her unclothed.

Saint Charles Police obtained a search warrant for Wilburn’s cell phone. They were able to retrieve photos of the naked teen from the phone, and she identified him in a picture lineup. Police suspect he may have used a similar motive of operando on other females in the Saint Louis or Saint Charles City or County areas. They fear there are more victims Wilburn assaulted, who have yet to contact police.

This is not Wilburn’s first sexual offense. When he was arrested he was already a registered sex offender in Missouri. The story begins back on February 18, 2006. Missouri court records show he was arrested and charged with Statutory Rape 2nd, a felony, and Statutory Sodomy 2nd degree, also a felony. In July 2007, Wilburn plead guilty to both counts and was sentenced to 7 years for each offense, and 5 years supervised probation.

The judge however, declared a suspended execution of sentence (SES) which was to be served concurrently with his 5 years supervised probation. According to USLegal dot com, “Suspended Execution of Sentence or SES is a sentencing option available to the trial court. In SES, the defendant is placed on probation with an incarceration amount preset in case of revocation. The Judge can execute that sentence if the probation is revoked.”

In essence it appears he did not serve any prison time for the 2006 sexual assault. On March 14, 2013, Wilburn’s supervised probation was discharged from the courts. Less than 2 months later, on May 24, 2013, Wilburn he drugged and sexually assaulted a 14 year old female.

Why is America so resolute in allowing sex offenders off so easily and enabling them to become repeat offenders? If you are given what is essentially a lengthy time out for an action that should have included being grounded for a very long time, then what price is there to pay? What would be the incentive to not repeat earlier behaviors? Wilburn essentially got a slap on the wrist and was sent home to think about his actions.

Only this time, he attacked a 14 year old girl. What happened to her will affect her the rest of her life. Why? Because criminals have rights, and for some god forsaken reason people seem to believe that if we show criminals leniency they will somehow become compassionate and upstanding citizens.

However, by looking at Wilburn’s prior arrests, it is clear he was intent on continuing down a dark path of destruction. In December of 2004, according to Missouri Case dot net site, Wilburn was arrested while living in Dardene Prairie Missouri for possession of up to 35 grams of Marijuana. Then in 2006, Wilburn was arrested while living in Poplar Bluff Missouri, for possession of 35 grams of Marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and not having a rear license plate light to illuminate his vehicle’s plate.

There are protective orders, and traffic tickets included in the same time frame. Perhaps this time the legal system will not fail the people they are supposed to protect. Just maybe this time, this sexual predator will be put behind bars where he should have been all along.

The St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, in addition to the St. Charles City Police Department are asking if someone has information about this case or another incident involving Wilburn to contact them immediately. If you have been a victim of William Thomas Wilburn please contact the Saint Charles Police Department at 636-949-3300.