LUMBERTON — A Red Springs man has been charged with sex crimes against a 3-year-old child.
Thomas Westfall, 20, of 211 Patterson St., was arrested at his home Thursday and charged with indecent liberties with a child and first-degree statutory sexual offense. He was taken to the Robeson County jail and placed under $300,000 bond.
But he is no longer at the county jail.
“We are not housing him here. He has been housed in a different facility for safekeeping,” said Capt. Brenda Thomas, of the county jail.
Westfall is accused of committing sex acts with a child, who is now 4 years old, between January 2017 and this month.
On Monday, the mother of the infant called the Red Springs Police Department to report her child was being sexually abused, said Ronnie Patterson, Red Springs police chief. The mother called after she was told by the child’s father that the child was being molested.
“When I learned about this from one of my detectives, I was distraught,” Patterson said. “We will not tolerate any child being molested or mistreated. This is unacceptable. “
Red Springs police and the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Victims Unit worked together to collect evidence to warrant an arrest, Patterson said.
Sgt. Alex Monroe and Sgt. Deidra Hardin, both from the Special Victims Unit, assisted with in-depth interviews, sheriff’s Capt. Brian Duckworth said.
“The Sheriff’s Office will always help with any case, but the Sheriff’s Special Victims Unit trains on crimes against innocent children,” Duckworth said. “It happens too much this day and time. We have good detectives.”
“Our department wants to send out a strong message,” Patterson said. “I am passionate, especially for the young and elderly, we will not allow the vulnerable to become victimized.”
Westfall’s next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 8.
