BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — Jurors in a Raleigh County courtroom found a 21-year-old man guilty of two counts of third-degree sexual assault on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.

Raleigh County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Morgan Spolarich said Alex Mills had sex with a 12-year-old in 2020 when he was 18.

The victim, now a teenager, took the stand to testify about the assaults, but Mills declined to testify. In the state of West Virginia, children under 16 years old cannot legally consent to sex or get married.

Mills’ mother, Rebecca Mills, took the stand to tell jurors Mills is a father and legally blind and that he lives with his dad. Mills’ defense attorney raised questions about Mills’ intellect.

“He’s unable to live on his own,” Rebecca Mills testified. “He’s not smart enough to pay his own bills and stuff like that.”

Under cross examination, Rebecca Mills testified Mills once held a job, that he could bathe and feed himself, and that he was aware of the day and month.