On Wednesday, April 5, 2006, Troy Glass (age 20), of Arley appeared before the Circuit Court of Winston County for sentencing on a charge of Rape in the First Degree.  Glass had previously entered a “blind plea” to the rape charge on December 6, 2005.  A blind plea means that the guilty plea was entered without any agreement with the State as to what the sentence would be. 

Judge Bobby Aderholt sentenced Glass to 50 years in the state penitentiary on the rape conviction. Under the rules of the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles, Glass will not be considered for parole until he has served 15 years of his sentence.

The conviction arose out of a report of sexual molestation by a three-year-old female child.  Upon being told of the abuse, the child’s parents took her to a hospital in Cullman, where law enforcement authorities were contacted.  An investigation was then conducted by the Winston County Department of Human Resources and the Winston County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputy District Attorney Neal Cook, who prosecuted Glass, had this comment following the sentencing:  “We read too often of children who are sexually abused.  It has become a blight on our society.  While there is no way to undo the horrible acts that were done to the victim in this case, at least those who read of the sentence handed down today can take some comfort in knowing that there are those who are fighting the good fight to try to rid our society of this blight.”