Martinsburg Man Facing Multiple Sexual Assault of a Minor Charges

A Martinsburg man is facing multiple felony charges after police said he sexually assaulted a female minor beginning when she was about 13 years old and lasting until she was 16. William R. Corley, 40, is facing a total of 20 felony and eight misdemeanor sexual assault-related charges stemming from an investigation by Martinsburg Borough police.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, in September 2020, the victim’s mother reported that Corley began sexually assaulting her daughter in 2017 in his Martinsburg home where the victim would babysit Corley’s children.

According to police, the victim and Corley met at a family function, and she began babysitting for him shortly after. The victim said she babysat frequently, and that Corley was often home when she was watching the kids. The victim told police that Corley often made comments about her body and how “mature” she looked.

According to police, the victim said that on her first day babysitting for Corley, he initiated inappropriate contact by slapping her on the backside when she bent over. The victim told police that later that evening, she fell asleep in Corley’s bed after watching television and playing video games with Corley’s children. The victim told police that at some point, Corley’s girlfriend came home and got in the bed with Corley in the middle of the two. The victim told police that during the night Corley pulled her shorts down and began sexually assaulting her.

The victim told police that the next day she went with Corley and his children to help his friend move a fire pit. The victim said she got her clothes dirty and went to Corley’s vehicle to change. The victim said Corley followed her to the vehicle and lifted her shirt up and touched her chest.

The victim told police that Corley continued to sexually assault her in various ways over the next several months until she and her mother moved out of the area. Police said the victim began distancing herself from Corley prior to moving away and that Corley became concerned that the victim was going to tell someone about the alleged sexual contact. Police said Corley began to threaten the victim that he would “hurt people” if she ever told.

Police said while the victim was living out of the area, Corley would send her messages on Snapchat and Facebook Messenger requesting her to send naked pictures. The victim told police that she complied with the request because of Corley’s threat to hurt people.

The victim said that Corley treated her differently in public than he did in private. She said Corley was aggressive with her when people were around and that he bent her fingers backwards, kicked her, pinched her, and would bite her. The victim said she believes Corley did this to hide that “something was going on.”

According to police, when the victim and her mother returned to the area, they moved in with Corley and his girlfriend and that Corley continued to ask for explicit photographs and videos from the victim.

Police said a search of the victim’s phone confirmed that photos and videos were sent to Corley along with text messages of a sexual nature.

Police conducted a follow-up interview with the victim in May. Police said the victim recounted other sexual encounters with Corley along with an incident when the victim and her friends were smoking marijuana and Corley offered them his “bowl” to smoke out of.

Corley was arraigned by Martinsburg Magisterial District Judge Andrew Blattenberger and released on $100,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 21, in front of Blattenberger.