For Immediate Release:
October 11, 2022
For press inquiries only, contact:
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Cameron Mixon (334) 242-7491
Attorney General Steve Marshall Successfully Defends Convictions of Cullman Man for First-Degree Rape and Sexual Abuse of a Child
(MONTGOMERY)óAttorney General Steve Marshall announced that the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the conviction of Wade Allen Waldrop, 45, of Cullman, for first-degree rape and sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12. Waldrop was convicted in Cullman County Circuit Court on November 9, 2021.
The evidence at trial showed that in June 2016, Waldrop raped and sexually abused a 10-year-old girl in Cullman County. Waldropís victim reported his behavior to a relative who immediately contacted law enforcement. Waldrop received a 99-year prison sentence for his rape conviction and 20 yearsí imprisonment for his sexual abuse conviction.
Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylockís office successfully prosecuted this case and obtained a guilty verdict. Waldrop sought to have his convictions reversed on appeal.
The Attorney General’s Criminal Appeals Division handled the case during the appeals process, arguing for the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals to affirm Waldropís convictions. The Court did so in a decision issued Friday, September 30, 2022.
ìA Cullman County jury found Waldrop guilty of rape and sexual abuse of a child and appropriately sentenced him to spend 99 years behind bars to contemplate the seriousness of his crimes,î said Attorney General Marshall. ìThis conviction should send a powerful signal that those who choose to victimize the most vulnerable among us will face severe punishment for their actions.î
Attorney General Marshall commended Assistant Attorney General Chris Howell for his successful work on this case, and thanked Cullman County District Attorney Wilson Blaylock and his staff for their valuable assistance in defending the convictions of first-degree rape and sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12.
–30–
