Welden’s appeal is denied, sees new charges

On Monday, Gary Welden’s appeal to have his felony conviction overturned was denied. Wednesday, he was indicted on two additional crimes by the Campbell County Grand Jury.

In 2017, Welden was found guilty of solicitation of a minor to engage in statutory rape following a trial. Within his appeal, he argued via his attorneys there wasn’t sufficient evidence to support the felony verdict.

The conviction came after the 14- year- old victim testified to an exhaustive amount of sexually charged communication between her and Welden. The communication happened via text messages and Facebook. She was dating Welden’s son at the time, according to court records.

During the trial, the girl testified the candid messages made her uncomfortable, but that she didn’t immediately report it because of fear that Welden would “get in trouble.”

When Welden took the stand, he admitted to flirting with girl, but asserted he did for his son.
He wanted to prove to the boy “that she would cheat on him with his own father,” court records said Welden testified.

Within the opinion from the Tennessee Criminal Court of Appeals, the group noted Welden had admitted during the trial he knew what he was doing when he was communicating with the girl. It also ruled the evidence “was more than sufficient” to support the conviction.

Fast forward to Wednesday and Welden found himself indicted for violation of the sex offender registry and perjury.

He is facing these charges after he failed to tell authorities that he had purchased a 1997 Ford Ranger.

Under the state sex offender registry guidelines, offenders must disclose a number of pertinent items including any vehicle they may own. Welden allegedly bought the truck in January but failed to tell his probation officer or list it on the registry within 48 hours, as required by law, the court records said.  Furthermore, when Welden completed his annual offender paperwork, on March 7, he failed to claim the truck, but signed a statement that he had divulged all of the requested information. Authorities discovered Welden’s purchase on March 22.

Failing to reveal the requested information the registry was grounds for perjury.

He will be arraigned in criminal court of July 23. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 07/13/2018-6AM)