Sex offender who once sold drugs in special commitment center accused of rape in Spokane
SPOKANE, Wash – A Washington sex offender who was sent to federal prison for selling drugs while in the state’s Special Commitment Center has been accused of rape in Spokane. Court documents say he posed as someone working for a counseling service and forced a woman to have sex with him.
Lawrence Williams, who also goes by the name Mikaeel Azeem, served prison time for a King County rape in the early 1980s. After his prison sentence was done, the state moved to have him classified as a sexually violent predator. He was sent to the SCC on McNeil Island.
While there, he was found to be working with a nurse to smuggle drugs and porn into the facility. At the time, the Attorney General’s Office said the case involved a “significant amount of crack cocaine” passed into the facility on eight occasions. You can read the original press release here.
In 2010, he was convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and witness tampering. He was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
An online search shows Williams was to be released to what’s called Less Restrictive Alternative in Walla Walla last year.
It’s not clear how and when he ended up in Spokane, but court documents say the LRA was lifted.
According to federal court records, Williams was enrolled in a sex offender treatment program with Phoenix Counseling Service. A woman said she received a call from Williams, who said he worked for the service and that his company was providing her food and housing. Williams allegedly told the woman she needed to pay for the services and she sent a check for $2,450.
The woman then heard from the counseling service, which told her Williams didn’t work for them, but was enrolled in the program. According to court records, the company “reached out to the victim who confirmed that Mr. Williams forced her into having sex, claiming it was payment for him providing her food and housing. The victim stated she did not want to have sex with him.”
Williams was booked into the Spokane County Jail on federal charges that he violated the conditions of his release. Court documents indicate the victim has a disability and has since been taken out of the state by her family. Those documents also state that Williams was removed from sex offender housing after the allegations came to light and, while he did stay at the House of Charity for a time, it’s not clear where he was living before his arrest.
Williams is being held without bond until trial or any further detention hearing.
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