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Police Storm Home, Subdue Convicted Rapist

Nov. 20, 2006 — Police stormed the home of a convicted rapist who refused to surrender Monday, subduing a man who had barricaded himself in his home, threatening to blow it up.
Police used a non-lethal taser gun to stun Ashley Williams in his Contant home near Banco Popular at 9:40 p.m., ending a four-hour standoff, said police spokeswoman Shawna Richards. No one was injured.
Williams, 49, had threatened to blow up a propane tank in his home if officers entered, Richards said. On Friday Williams was convicted of two counts of rape, assault and unlawful sexual contact for luring a man to his home with crack and forcibly sodomizing him with a novelty wooden baseball bat in November 2005.
Judge Leon Kendall gave Williams until Monday to surrender after his conviction. When he refused, police surrounded Williams' home, Richards said. Kendall arrived at Williams' home at 7:30 p.m., hoping to talk the convict into surrendering, Richards said.
Police kept a "safe distance," Richards said, because Williams had threatened to explode a large propane tank in the home if police entered. At that time, Richards reported, it was not clear whether Kendall would try to speak to Williams — who was alone in the home and not otherwise armed — in person or through a megaphone.
The Source reported in September that prosecutors were outraged when Kendall allowed Williams to remain free without bail before his trial, even though Williams had at least 22 prior arrests, including 15 felony arrests since 1977. (See "Prosecutors Outraged at Judge's Release of Man Accused of Violent Rape.")
Williams has been charged with rape at least four times, although it was not clear if he was ever convicted. He has been convicted at least four times of grand larceny and assault, according to court documents, which did not list the outcome of all charges.
Court records indicate Williams is unemployed, single and has three children.
After the attack a year ago, Williams drove the bleeding rape victim to a Charlotte Amalie cemetery. The victim was treated at Roy L. Schneider Hospital, where he told police what had happened. Police arrested Williams that night.
According to Richards, Williams said he would rather die than go to jail, but he did not want to kill himself. Before the standoff ended peacefully, police feared Williams might attempt "suicide by cop" — forcing them to kill him.
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