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WARREN -- Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins has sent a strongly worded letter to a parole board regarding a prisoner he once defined as a "serial rapist" being up for parole.
The letter, which was recently released to the public, gives a narrative detailing the history of the convicted child rapist's past criminal activity.
Addressing the letter to the chair of the parole board, Watkins described current Marion Correctional Institution inmate Willis Reitz, 65, as being "one of the worst of the worst pedophiles." By keeping him behind bars Watkins argues children are safer and that no new victims will have to suffer nightmares from crimes committed against them by Reitz.
In a previous letter to the board, the prosecutor urged, "don't cancel our insurance policy by releasing Reitz on parole." Watkins said he was of the belief that "three strikes you're out" referencing sex offenses Reitz has been convicted of in three states: Ohio, North Carolina and Mississippi.
His arrest record started in North Carolina where he was convicted for various criminal offenses in 1977. In November 1977, Reitz pleaded guilty to having assaulted a female and to a misdemeanor breaking and entering. He was given four years of probation and provided with mental health treatment.
Before being sentenced to 15 years to life for rape in Mississippi in 1987, Reitz also had raped a 6-year-old female relative a year before but only served seven years, according to Watkins. He received early release after serving seven years of the 15-year sentence.
While on parole, two weeks later, he came to Warren where he raped the same victim, then aged 14, on multiple occasions. He was sentenced in Trumbull County to 15 years to life in prison by former Trumbull County Judge W. Wyatt McKay for four counts of rape and two counts of gross sexual imposition.
Watkins concluded, "Please leave him where he is at until the morning sun appears and all of earth is free of his breath."
A parole hearing is set for Reitz in July of this year.