Suspect Had Prior Convictions
Former city employee's record includes assaults against children in the 1960s

BY JOHN PATTERSON
SALISBURY POST

A former city maintenance worker accused of several sex offenses involving a 15-year-old girl was twice convicted on similar charges in the 1960s, according to court documents.

With the help of an employee at the Rowan County Clerk of Court's Office, a records search confirmed that Kenneth Huffman, 60, was twice convicted for assault on a minor. Huffman, who disappeared Dec. 1 - the day the most recent allegations surfaced - is wanted on two counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor and one count of statutory sex offense, charges that stem from three encounters with the teen at a city recreation center.

Records show that on Sept. 23, 1965, Huffman was sentenced to 12 to 18 months in prison for assault on a minor. The court, as a finding of fact, stated: "That the defendant (Huffman) on the 20th of June, 1965, assaulted ... by placing his hands upon her, particularly on her body and under her clothing and enticing her into a home."

The judge in that case would have likely suspended Huffman's sentence if not for the fact that Huffman was already on probation for a similar conviction in May of 1964. In that case, Huffman was sentenced to five years probation for assault on a minor. The warrant for his arrest in the 1964 case stated: "The said Kenneth Huffman did attempt to commit a lewd and lascivious act upon the body of said child ... by placing his hand under the dress of said child and did kiss her and place her upon his lap, while being seated in his vehicle, with intent to take immoral and indecent liberties with said child."

That earlier conviction also garnered Huffman the following "special" condition: "That he be of general good condition and not violate any of the laws of this State or the Federal Government, and especially that he not, in any manner, molest any children girls or boys."

City officials, who hired Huffman on Aug. 28, 1995, said in a story that appeared in the Post's Dec. 10 issue that "at the time (when Huffman was hired), there was no indication of any prior offense." But the victim in the 1965 case, who was about 11 at the time of the assault, called the Post after she read the quote.

The woman, now in her mid-40s and living out of the area, was sure Huffman, who is still missing, was the man that went to prison for assaulting her in the 1960s.

"I was sure that was the same man (Huffman) that was convicted when I was 11," said the woman, whom the Post is not identifying because of the nature of the crime. "It just bothered me that someone could get that type of job and be working around kids. I thought the truth should be known.

"Being a mother, I'm just worried about the kids."

The woman said the 1965 incident, especially an interview with police and Huffman, stood out in her mind. She said she remembers Huffman crying, repeatedly saying he was sorry.

"The worst part for me is that I went through years of guilt," she said. "I felt so bad for this man going to prison because I felt like I had told on him. But I finally realized that he had done something wrong ... and I shouldn't have felt guilty.

"To me the (Huffman) family should see it like he still has the same problem (now) he had back in the '60s."

But Huffman's family, especially his daughter, Keena Mowery, do not see a relationship between the current charges and the two from the 1960s.

"The cases from the '60s don't have anything to do with today's case," Mowery said. "He didn't force himself on these girls. ... I guarantee you many men have not thought of the harm that could happen by picking up (a little girl). He's not a forceful person ... he's a friendly, friendly person."

What's more, Mowery said she and the rest of the Huffman family are confident there's "more to the story than has been told" about the most recent charges against Huffman.

Salisbury Police, who have not been able to find Huffman or question him, said the charges stem from three separate encounters between Huffman and the teen that occurred in August and November at the Miller Recreation Center on West Bank Street. Huffman is accused of improperly touching the girl, though investigators have said the pair apparently did not have sexual intercourse.

At some point during the encounters, Huffman gave the girl money, police said. But investigators do not view the alleged crimes as prostitution.

Mowery, however, called into question the 15-year-old's involvement, saying the teen "wasn't innocent by a long shot if she went back three times.

"If she (teen) was innocent, she would have never went back for three encounters. If she was so innocent, she wouldn't have gone back ... you don't take money from someone you don't want to be around.

"He loved his kids and his grandkids too much to be faced with this type of crazy situation. I don't think it's right that they're allowed to crucify him on just her word. It should be his word against hers."

Mowery said her family, like police, hasn't heard from Huffman since he disappeared Dec. 1. And, Mowery said, her father's disappearance shouldn't be considered a sign he's guilty.

"He was told of an accusation and he knew he was going to lose his job," Mowery said. "He panicked because of the fear of losing his job ... he's scared because he's 60 (years old). At 60 you don't get a job everyday. The pressure of not having a job and trying to support a family was too much for him.

"I don't know anything other than that he's ashamed of what he had to do, the shame of the accusation and the loss of the job at 60. This is a 60-year-old man who has had his reputation ruined."

Plus, Mowery said, Huffman disappeared 10 days before warrants were issued against him, another fact she said proves her father didn't disappear necessarily because he feels he's guilty.

Mowery and members of her family filed a missing persons report on Huffman and have even left the following message on the family's telephone answering machine: "Dad, please call. You know that the family doesn't turn against each other. We'll stand by you, you've always stood by us."

Huffman, Mowery said, is a "model citizen" who has supported his children and grandchildren well during his 29 years of work at the former Hoechst Celanese and through four years of work with the city.

"His bosses at the city have said they never had a more reliable person," Mowery said. "And the people at Hoechst Celanese will tell you the same thing."

For now, Mowery said the Huffman family was being destroyed, much like it was in 1986 when Huffman's son and Mowery's brother, Kendall, drowned.

"It's just destroyed our life, destroyed Christmas for us," Mowery said. "I would like to know the real answers to this ... I would not make excuses if I knew."

Meanwhile, city officials who hired Huffman - and later fired him for violating the city's policy on absenteeism - said they were disappointed the past criminal convictions against Huffman were not available. City Manager David Treme said officials performed a background check on Huffman when he was hired, but that the two convictions from the 1960s did not show up.

Clerk of Court Jeff Barger said computers in the clerk's office only store criminal records back to 1985. The remaining records are stored in a filing system in the basement of the Rowan County Justice Center.

"They (records) only go back to 1985 on the computer," Barger said. "If not specifically asked, the clerk will only check the computer. But the clerk will go check further back if asked."

Treme, who said earlier the city has started its own administrative review of the charges, said it "would have been nice to have that information available to us.

"We really need to exhaust all possibilities when checking into people that might work around children. We've really gone back and taken a look at the type of background check we have."