SPARTANBURG MAN RECEIVES 80-YEAR PRISON TERM FOR ABDUCTION, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND ROBBERY

A Spartanburg man received an 80-year prison sentence today for abducting, robbing and sexually assaulting a downtown-area restaurant employee minutes after she left work.

Mark Williams pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct, armed robbery, kidnapping and carjacking before Circuit Judge Mark Hayes.

Williams abducted the 23-year-old victim about 10:30 p.m. on May 31. The victim told police Williams approached her near the intersection of Dunbar and Liberty streets and forced her into her car. Williams, who was armed with a knife, drove the victim's car to the back side of an East Main Street business. He forced her to undress and perform several sex acts on him. At one point during the attack, the victim gained control of the knife and she stabbed Williams near his groin. Williams overpowered her again and made her accompany him to a second east side location where he sexually assaulted her again. He then took a sum of money from her and walked away from the crime scene.

Spartanburg Public Safety investigators found Williams’ Social Security card in the victim's car. The victim identified Williams as the suspect in a 6-person, photo line-up that was assembled hours after the crime. Investigators used forensic evidence to further their case.

Solicitor Trey Gowdy showed Judge Hayes photos of the initial crime and Williams' injured leg during the guilty plea.

"Our victim is a brave young lady," Gowdy said. "She kept her wits during what had to be the scariest night of her life. She deserves a lot of credit for surviving this terrible ordeal and helping build the criminal case."