77-year-old receives 10 to 20 years for sexual abuse charge
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ELKINS – A Randolph County man received the maximum sentence for sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, or custodian, as well as 30 years of extended supervision.
Willard Blaine Herron, 77, was sentenced by Randolph County Circuit Court Judge Jaymie Wilfong this week to no less than 10, and no more than 20 years in prison for one count of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, or custodian, a felony. After Herron finishes his sentence, he will then be under extended supervision for 30 years. He will also have to register as a sex offender for life.
Herron entered into a plea agreement on Sept. 8, pleading guilty to one count of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian or custodian. In June 2025, a Randolph County grand jury initially indicted Herron on one count of sexual assault in the first degree, nine counts of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, or custodian, six counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, and another two counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, all felonies.
Before Wilfong issued the sentence, Assistant Randolph County Prosecutor Christina Harper asked the court to give Herron the maximum sentence allowed for one count of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, or custodian, which would be no less than 10, and no more than 20 years in prison. Harper said there were “a multitude of reasons” why Herron deserved the maximum, one of which was the seriousness of the crime committed; however, Harper said two reasons in particular stood out to her.
One reason was the level of responsibility Herron accepted for his actions. Harper stated while Herron did enter into a plea agreement and did admit to inappropriately touching one of the victims, he fully denied before the court that he inappropriately touched the second victim, despite having previously admitted to police that he had done so.
Then, in his pre-sentence report, she said Herron denied all of the allegations against him, but in an addendum to the report, Herron later said he was remorseful for having “touched a minor.” Harper said in the best case scenario, Herron accepts some responsibility for his actions, but in the worst case scenario, he accepts no responsibly at all.
The second reason that stood out in particular to Harper was that Herron had written in the pre-sentence report addendum that it was his intention to “return home to his wife.” Harper called this “very concerning” as she believed Herron failed to understand that, regardless of what sentence he received, he will never be allowed near his victims ever again.
Harper said Herron continues to be a danger to society and a risk to his victims, and she asked Wilfong to also sentence Herron to 20 years of extended supervision after his sentence is complete.
Herron’s attorney, Paul Gwaltney, asked the court to only give Herron 10 years of extended supervision after his sentence was completed, citing Herron’s older age. Gwaltney said, as Herron is 77, his earliest possible release date would not be until he’s 85.
Herron also addressed the court, stating he just wanted to get back home to his family and that he’d like to be home on probation.
Wilfong asked the guardian ad litem assigned to the case if she had anything to say regarding Herron’s sentencing. The guardian ad litem said despite Herron wanting to return to his family, his wife had said Herron was “no longer part of her life or welcome in her home ever again.” The guardian ad litem stated that she believed Herron’s grace was granted in the plea agreement, and she asked the court to show Herron no more grace.
As she sentenced Herron, Wilfong said she realized the 10 to 20 years and then 30 years of supervised probation would put Herron at a projected age which is likely to exceed his life expectancy, but she also noted Herron was already only about a year from normal male life expectancy. She also said she’d rather err on the side of his extended supervision outliving him than him outliving it.