Ladysmith man faces child sex assault charge

The criminal complaint alleges the first count involves repeated sexual assaults of the same child between November 2015 and August 2021. The document alleges the second count involves sexual contact with a child under the age of 16 between July and August of 2022. The document alleges the third count involves sexual contact with a child under the age of 16 between July and August of 2022.

On the first count of repeated sexual assault of a child, the complaint alleges at least three violations of first degree sexual assault of a child. In interviews, the victim stated that she was downstairs in the basement helping Anderson when he came over by her and started touching her over her clothes on her upper and lower body. She said the first time this happened she was 7 years old while watching a movie with her mother and other children in the room as Anderson whispered “Please don’t tell anyone.” The victim told her mother 1-2 years ago, but the mother didn’t believe the information and made the victim talk with Anderson, who apologized to the victim. There were no more incidents for about three months but then it started again and “progressively got worse.” The victim told investigators Anderson began using his mouth to toucher her lower body, one time when her mother was at the bar until 4:30 a.m. and Anderson at home. The victim stated she was about 9 years old, when Anderson used a vibrator to touch her lower body when her pants were down. 

The second count alleges Anderson was getting ready for work when he got into bed with the victim last year and she got out from under the covers because she “knew what was going to happen.” The victim alleged Anderson touched her, and he made her touch him. The victim said there was a white substance that went onto the bed and she washed the sheets. When Anderson came home from work he brought home “Plan B” birth control pills he wanted the victim to take because “it would help her be a kid and not a parent.” When Anderson came home at the end of the work day, he got into bed with the victim, touching her upper and lower body. He then forced her to touch his lower body. Anderson got up, buttoned his pants and left.

The third count alleges the following day Anderson “started doing it again” and “she just laid there because she did not know what else to do.” The complaint alleges Anderson was touching the victim, then tried to insert his penis into her lower area. The victim stated it hurt and she got up and went out of the room.

The victim told her grandmother last August.

The first count carries a maximum penalty not more than 60 years in prison.

The second count carries a maximum penalty of not more than $100,000 in fines, not more than 40 years in prison or both.

The third count carries a maximum penalty of not more than $100,000 in fines, not more than 40 years in prison or both.

If found guilty of all counts, Anderson faces a maximum penalty of up to 140 years in prison and up to $200,000 in fines. The state will also seek to place the defendant on lifetime supervision.

Anderson was given a $5,000 signature bond at a Jan. 10 court hearing. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim, her residence, or her father and during this case no unsupervised contact with females under the age of 18 aside from incidental contact and within sight and sound of another adult age 25 or more and his own children are exempt from this condition. An initial appearance in Rusk County Circuit Court is scheduled for 4:15 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 31.