Tennessee
Tennessee suspect in dozens of rapes gets 95 years for child sex abuse images and escape convictions
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A Tennessee man accused in lawsuits of drugging and sexually assaulting dozens of women received a 95-year prison sentence Monday for other types of offenses: the production of child sex abuse images and an escape from an inmate transport van.
Judge J. Ronnie Greer in Greeneville called Sean Williams an unrepentant “organized, methodical sexual predator of women and children,” according to the Johnson City Press. Prosecutors said Williams, who was already in prison, had razor blades in his shoes on his way to court.
Williams, 53, congratulated a prosecutor for a ”dramatic performance” during Monday’s hearing in federal court and implied the images were faked or doctored. Williams laughed, shook his head and retorted when the judge said the only thing worse he could imagine would be being a serial killer.
Earlier this month, Johnson City officials voted to pay $28 million to settle a lawsuit filed by women under “Jane Doe” pseudonyms against the city and individual police officers that claimed police deliberately botched investigations over sexual assault allegations against Williams from 2018 to 2021.
Williams has not yet been criminally charged as a result of the women’s allegations in the lawsuits.
The city and the officers have long denied corruption allegations, including a claim in the women’s lawsuit that Williams paid police to obstruct investigations into sexual assault allegations against him. The settlement broadly includes up to 400 women, including minors, who lodged any report of sexual abuse or trafficking to Johnson City Police from 2018 through December 2022, due to accusations of gender discrimination. The settlement still requires court approval.
A campus police officer at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina, found Williams asleep in his car in 2023 while he was fleeing a federal felon-possessing-ammunition charge in April 2021.
His vehicle contained cocaine, methamphetamine, about $100,000 and digital storage devices with more than 5,000 images of child sexual abuse. Williams was also in possession of photos and videos showing him sexually assaulting at least 52 women at his Johnson City apartment while they were in an “obvious state of unconsciousness,” police wrote.
At least half a dozen names on folders containing videos of women were consistent with first names on a list labeled “Raped” that Johnson City officers had previously found in his apartment, a police affidavit said.
After being charged in connection with the child sexual abuse images, Williams in October 2023 escaped from a van taking him from a Kentucky detention center to a hearing in Tennessee. Authorities caught him in Florida more than a month later.
He was convicted in July of the van escape and in November of the child sex abuse images of a 9-month-old boy, a 4-year-old girl and a 7-year-old girl. Prosecutors said Williams also raped the children’s mothers while they were unconscious and that there were images and videos of them as well. Williams took the sexually explicit photos of one child in 2008 and the other two on separate occasions in 2020, all in his apartment, prosecutors said.
In Tennessee state court, Williams faces additional charges involving minors. In a North Carolina federal court, he’s charged with possessing child sexual abuse images and illegal drugs.
Two other federal lawsuits against Johnson City and individual police officers are still pending over the investigation of sexual assault reports against Williams.
Tennessee
Tennessee troopers investigating deadly crash involving UTV, train
SCOTT COUNTY, Tenn. (WVLT) – The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating a deadly crash involving a UTV and a train in Scott County.
According to THP’s preliminary report, the crash happened Saturday off of Route 27 near Helenwood just before 5 p.m. when the driver of the UTV, identified as 52-year-old Ronnie Lloyd, “failed to stop” at the railroad crossing and hit a moving train.
Lloyd was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, THP said.
Additional information was not released.
Copyright 2026 WVLT. All rights reserved.
Tennessee
2027 Georgia safety, Tennessee target announces commitment date
Four-star safety Ta’Shawn Poole will announce his commitment between Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State on July 17, according to Brendan Sonnone of 247Sports.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound prospect is from Howard High School in Macon, Georgia. 247Sports ranks him as the No. 4 safety in the class and No. 6 player in Georgia.
Tennessee offered Poole a scholarship on Feb. 21, 2025. He has visited the Vols three times, including an official visit on June 5.
UNLV was the first school to offer Poole a scholarship on Aug. 1, 2024. Other Power Four schools to offer him scholarships include Louisville, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, Auburn, Missouri, Miami, North Carolina State, Kentucky, Nebraska, Florida, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, North Carolina, Penn State, Ole Miss, Indiana, Mississippi State, Wake Forest, Alabama, Virginia Tech and Clemson.
Tennessee has 16 commitments in its 2027 football recruiting class: linebacker JP Peace, offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo, quarterback Derrick Baker, athlete Jaden Butler, wide receiver KeSean Bowman, defensive back Carter Jamison and defensive back Brandon Leavell, tight end Malik Howard, defensive lineman Christian Mays, cornerback Dylan Haley, linebacker Kenneth Simon II, kicker Ford Fehling, long snapper Sam McKeown, offensive tackle Q’Mari Hudson, athlete Dayon Cooper, and safety Marcus Jones.
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Tennessee
TN Lottery Mega Millions, Cash 3 Morning winning numbers for July 3, 2026
The Tennessee Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at July 3, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from July 3 drawing
05-09-29-47-57, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from July 3 drawing
Morning: 7-0-6, Wild: 8
Midday: 8-9-9, Wild: 7
Evening: 3-6-1, Wild: 4
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from July 3 drawing
Morning: 2-5-7-4, Wild: 1
Midday: 3-7-7-4, Wild: 3
Evening: 1-4-3-6, Wild: 5
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Daily Tennessee Jackpot numbers from July 3 drawing
09-12-23-27-33
Check Daily Tennessee Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Tennessee Cash numbers from July 3 drawing
04-13-18-27-35, Bonus: 02
Check Tennessee Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from July 3 drawing
07-08-24-42-47, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Tennessee Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Tennessee Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket, a copy of a government-issued ID and proof of social security number to P.O. Box 290636, Nashville, TN 37229. Prize claims less than $600 do not require a claim form. Please include contact information on prizes claimed by mail in the event we need to contact you.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a winner claim form and deliver the form, along with the ticket and government-issued ID and proof of social security number to any of these locations:
Nashville Headquarters & Claim Center: 26 Century Blvd., Nashville, TN 37214, 615-254-4946 in the (615) and (629) area, 901-466-4946 in the (901) area, 865-512-4946 in the (865) area, 423-939-7529 in the (423) area or 1-877-786-7529 (all other areas in Tennessee). Outside Tennessee, dial 615-254-4946. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Knoxville District Office: Cedar Springs Shopping Center, 9298 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37922, (865) 251-1900. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Chattanooga District Office: 2020 Gunbarrel Rd., Suite 106, Chattanooga, TN 37421, (423) 308-3610. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Memphis District Office: Chiles Plaza, 7424 U.S. Highway 64, Suite 104, Memphis, TN 38133, (901) 322-8520. Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $199,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://tnlottery.com/.
When are the Tennessee Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3, 4: Daily at 9:28 a.m. (Morning) and 12:28 p.m. CT (Midday), except for Sunday. Evening game daily, seven days a week, at 6:28 p.m. CT.
- Daily Tennessee Jackpot: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Tennessee Cash: 10:34 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- Powerball Double Play: 10:30 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Tennessean editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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