Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, December 7, 1994 TAG: 9412070154
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SARAH HUNTLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"This is effectively abduction with the intent to rape. Those are two of the most serious crimes there are," Judge Roy B. Willett of Roanoke County told Lovewine, 21, who pleaded guilty to charges in both Roanoke and Botetourt counties. Willett also ordered that the Glasgow man undergo psychological treatment while in prison.
In addition to Tuesday's sentence, Lovewine faces up to three life terms for the Botetourt County charges. He will be sentenced there in January.
Lovewine, who lured the boys to his car by posing as a police officer, told the court Tuesday that he was raped as a teen-ager at least 40 times by six or seven different people, including a close relative.
"I know that what I've done is wrong, and I can't blame anyone but myself," Lovewine said, his voice breaking. "I should have trusted someone ... but I felt that I couldn't because when I tried to tell people in my family about my problems, they called me a homosexual and cussed me out. I hope I can get treatment, because I feel like I need it bad."
Commonwealth's Attorney Skip Burkart said Lovewine, as a 12-year-old, was charged with forcible sodomy and strong-armed robbery in Chesapeake in 1984.
"I find it hard to believe that someone who said this happened to him and that he felt 'terrible' and 'scared' would do this to another person," Burkart said. "I don't know what you do with someone like Mr. Lovewine, except lock him up."
After the hearing, Lovewine's attorney, Tom Wray, said, urged the judge to take a "more realistic" approach and leave open the possibility that Lovewine could be rehabilitated.
"I was hoping for less than that. I knew we were looking at a substantial amount of time, but I was hoping for less."
by CNB