I almost missed the conclusion of these two whittled-down charges against Caroline County, Sheriff's Deputy Michael Sheward. Last year he took two runaway girls to a deserted jail no longer in use - I say, abducted them after telling their FOSTER CARE mom that he was going to TEACH THEM a lesson - locked them up there, then made them get naked and display their genitals for him, asking them lewd questions, holding them there for hours. Imagine that. He picked some girls without strong families of their own? Weasel. The COURT called that merely "indecent liberties." Under the color of the law? As a deputy? That's all it comes too?Why do I have such a hard time believing he didn't touch them?
THEN he broke into his wife's house with a MASK on his face, ARMED with his gun, HIT her with it, DUCT-TAPED her arms and mouth, and DRAGGED HER around the house, - SURELY SHE WAS THINKING THAT SHE WAS GOING TO DIE, WHILE SLAMMING her into the floor SEVERAL times - with their 2-year-old daughter there. Punk. His wife - SO BLESSED - broke free, grabbed his gun and shot him - sending him running. He was arrested later that night. HE says he doesn't remember.
I have a hard time believing that too.
At his sentencing he said, "I've put a lot of shame on myself." Are we surprised he was still thinking ONLY of himself?
The Sheriff did the right thing though - fired him right after he abducted and sexually exploited the girls with his badge on - and because of worm-boy the Sheriff now has recruits take LIE detector tests - hopefully that ask all the right questions to detect the psychopaths and predators. Yay sheriff. Too little too late for three, but hopefully a trailblazer for other departments who DON'T test for liars yet, so they too can take the initiative to switch into prevention mode and start wiring up their recruits. Nip it in the bud.
But Sheward's wife is still scared for herself and their child. She probably always will be, as long as he's alive. The girls idea of life and law has most certainly changed to a darker version too. Instead of life, he got forty years - forty years that the judge trimmed down to just about six right there and then. What does that tell the wife about her worth?
What does it tell the girls? I'm shaking my head. That he would take unhappy runaway foster kids and do this or fill his wife with so much terror really makes me need to pray.
From the 9/29/2007 news:
...The judge sentenced Sheward to five years in prison for each of two indecent-liberties charges, suspending all but eight months of the combined term; 10 years in prison for abduction, with all but one year suspended; 20 years for breaking and entering, with all but two years suspended; and three years for using a firearm. Sheward is to remain on good behavior for 20 years, serve five years of probation, undergo a psychiatric evaluation and not have contact with any of the victims or their relatives...
Hi, I hope you are getting this because I know it has been a few years since this incident occurred, but I am one of the girls who was involved in this case. I was the 16 year old runaway teen who Sheward sexually abused in that abandoned jail house. I was sitting here with my mother-in-law going through the inernet about my old court case and here you are. It brings tears to my eyes to see someone who actually sees the situation for what it is; how corrupt and how cruel this officer actually was to me and my foster sister. And you are right, it is just too little too late for me, my foster sister and his estranged wife. During the trial, she was there in the court room the entire time, and after he assaulted her like that, she even smiled at us when we testified against him. I will never forget that meek, trembling smile. It reassured me and I understood that she was on our side and not his. I was so happy to read the words that you wrote and I feel now, finally years later, that I can move on. You are also right about my perspective changing about how I feel about law enforcement in general, but if you are reading this I want you to know that the way I have viewed life hasn't changed a bit; I still meet everyday with the same optimism and entusiasm as I always have. And I hope you'll be happy to hear that I am getting my degree in criminal justice as we speak; I am no longer afraid to face the evils of my past. If you get this, please comment back because there is so much more I would like to tell you. I will be checking often. Thank you for what you wrote; it means alot to me....
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for all you've been through, and amazed at your resilience. I'm here. You are free to write to me on or off of the blog. I do have questions, and if you'd like to stay available as a support for others behind the scenes I'd be glad (honored) to add you to the list of those who feel able. You keep pushin'. I see great things coming from your life. Sometimes only people who have lived it can understand it, and there's a lot you bring to the criminal justice system - with heart and soul.
ReplyDeleteSometimes tears are good. :)
Article Comment on fredericksburg.com
ReplyDeleteCaroline Deputy
posted by firewolf
Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm
I think it is appauling that people, who take an oath to uphold the laws of the state of Virginia, think they can get away with taking advantage of children, abusing their authority, and destroying a childs life like that. I was in the same situation as a child. I did not have the courage to do anything about it. I applaud these girls for standing up to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else!
http://fredericksburg.com/News/Web/2006/042006/0427deputy
Thank you so much for understanding. I would love to answer any questions you have. Please post your email address if you feel comfortable doing so and I will email you. Again thank you and I appreciate the support and understanding. I hope to hear from you soon...
ReplyDeleteEmail address here
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, big thanks to EVERYONE for the understanding and support. It has been almost four years since the attack and I still fear for my life.... I want to say to both girls who also had to face this criminal, I pray for you both. I will ALWAYS have a scar from this but have moved on with my life and doing great! Again, Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for checking in. Very glad to hear that you are doing good.
ReplyDeleteI am employed at the Caroline Sheriff's Office and was when this incident occured. I remember how badly it effected the Dept. much less the effect it would have had on the victims. If it makes any of you feel any better, everyone at CCSO was outraged at him and we were also dissapointed at the courts sentencing. As a cop, I often wonder why the heck I took this job, mainly my answer is because it was a good fit for me and I found it to be fun and sometimes rewarding. Things like what sheward did along with how everything you do is always under a microscope and people are just waiting to catch a cop doing something wrong make a lot of us question why we ever took this job. I guess my answer is that I know for myself that I am a good person and a good cop and i really do try to live my life the right way and make the right decisions. As I get older I see that I am definitely the minority as far as that goes, including in law enforcement, and law enforcement can't afford to lose good people. I have a lot invested in this job now and feel like its too late to start over in another career, but I definitely did not choose an easy one.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to hear the victims in this case are doing well and i hope all continues to go well. I also hope that sheward got the help he needed and will not continue this type of behavior once he is released. God bless all of you and hopefully we all stay strong and keep our heads held high throughout this life weve been given..
Thank you for sharing that and I will share it with others.
ReplyDeleteI recently moved into the community where this sexual preditor is currently living. Although it has been years since the incident, make no mistake that the neighbors are WELL aware of this man and what he has done and is no doubt capable of doing again. Thank all of you for sharing the story. this site is being forwarded to residents of this quiet spotsylvania county community. Children have been made aware via flyers on the school bus. I very much blame this judge for such a light sentence. I hope he has since been removed from the bench. He had to have been bribed or something because this story is down right bone-chilling.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if anyone will ever see this but if they do at least someone will know. I was the 17 year old in this case. My sister and I are still in touch. We have a spell where we just needed to find ourselves again. It's taken a lot longer than I imagined to find a balance since then. I used to go into full blown panic attacks around police. I was angry for a long long time. Neither of us live in Caroline anymore and probably never will again. But we have grown tremendously. We're functioning and productive adults in society. Might not seem like a lot but after what he did to us and being ripped away from the only stable foster home either of us had ever had, me the last half of my senior year, it was more than we could handle. I'm proud of who we have become. It seems like as soon as we found our peace though it all ended. This is ten years since it happened. Out of nowhere we started getting violent messages. Saying how we did wrong in our past and had to pay for it. That it was never over. Pictures of hangmans nooses. The profile was identical to if sheward had lost about 80 pounds. I immediately called Caroline county police to explain and they told me "it looks like him but he is just too skinny, sorry but it can't be him". How can this still be going on? How is he still beating the system? I don't know if anyone will see this. Like I said it's veen ten years. At least if someone does they will know the system failed again but I refuse for this prick to take ahold of my happiness ever again.
ReplyDeleteMe and the wife have been best friends and have been close. I remember every min of the night that he did this. I remember running down the driveway and she falling into my arms. The court says were so hard to have to stair him in the face and not touch him. Now hes out and he is putting threats out to all of us. Im not scared but I will forever hope to get the chance to put him in a hole. The girls that were abducted by him and had things done I'm so proud of them for coming forward and getting him convicted. A lot of the story I k kw personally bc of being there and being with her on sleepless nights.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteMr sheward is trying to set up counseling at the American Legion in fredericksburg. He is involved with the veteran groups around the area. I do not know if he was ever in the service or if this is something he is now doing.
Yes the guy was in the military. I served with him at Fort AP Hill back in 2003 and it highly disappoints me that Sheward would have done such a thing. Hopefully, he can get the counseling he needs. I’m sorry this all happened to the victims but I’m glad to hear the victims are doing well. I wish the 3 women all the best in the future.
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