WARNING: The details that follow may be graphic. Reader discretion is advised.
LUBBOCK, Texas — A Lubbock County man, Welcome Sanders, 47, pleaded guilty Thursday morning to two counts of sexual assault of a child, and one count of indecency – for a total of three cases with three different victims. Sanders was sentenced to 20 years in prison on each charge. He has more than four years of credit for time already served in jail.
“During the period of 2014-2017 approximately, Welcome Sanders sexually abused three young women that were living under his roof. They were brave and courageous, and they were able to make an outcry to law enforcement … He will be serving the maximum sentence allowed under the law,” Assistant Criminal District Attorney Cara Landers told EverythingLubbock.com.
Sanders was arrested at his home by the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office on May 27, 2019. The day before his arrest, all three victims made an outcry to their aunt at a graduation party, according to court documents obtained by EverythingLubbock.com. Court records stated Sanders was confronted and admitted to sexually abusing three young family members.
The victims told investigators the abuse had been ongoing for years, since they were in the fifth or sixth grade. According to court documents, the oldest victim told investigators Sanders said she would “go to jail for a really long time” if she ever told anyone about the abuse.
One victim said the last time Sanders abused her was just days before the outcry. Court records stated Sanders “raped her in his bed.”
According to court documents, Sanders blamed the sexual abuse on pain medicine from his back surgery. Court records stated Sanders told one victim the pills “had him all messed up.” Sanders also told a victim that he was “going to die in jail and that he was going to get tortured.”
