By April Amadon/amadona@gnnewspaper.com The Tonawanda News
A 23-year-old registered sex offender is back in jail, accused of raping a woman with a rare genetic disorder that renders her unable to give consent.
Shaun P. Storms, a Level-3 sex offender, was charged Wednesday morning with third-degree rape, a felony. His address on the state’s sex offender Web site is listed as 273 Washburn St., while on the City of Lockport’s sex offender site, he is listed at 13 Locust St., Apt. A.
Storms allegedly raped a 20-year-old Academy Lane woman at his Washburn Street address July 1.
The woman was incapable of consent because she suffers from Williams Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects reasoning skills, Lockport Police Detective John Yotter said.
According to the Williams Syndrome Association, those with the condition may have excessively friendly personalities and may suffer from developmental delays, learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder.
“She did not consent to the sex, and because of the disorder, I don’t believe she would be able to,” Yotter said.
Terry Monkaba is executive director of the Williams Syndrome Association, which is based in Michigan. Monkaba is the mother of a 21-year-old man with Williams Syndrome.
“This is the one thing that all of us as parents worry the most about, is our kids’ vulnerability,” Monkaba said. “They are not socially adept, oftentimes, very innocent.”
The syndrome is rare, affecting one in 9,000 births, Monkaba said.
Monkaba said the average IQ for individuals with Williams Syndrome is about 60. While she doesn’t know the victim, Monkaba said people with Williams Syndrome are often very sheltered.
“At 20, she could easily be 12, 13 socially,” she said.
Storms was arrested Wednesday morning at the Lockport Police Department and arraigned in Lockport City Court.
He is being held without bail on the rape charge and is being held in lieu of $5,000 bail on an additional charge of violating his probation.
Sex offenders classified as Level-3 are those considered to have the highest risk of re-offending.
According to the state sex offender registry, Storms was convicted Aug. 1, 2006, of third-degree rape for having non-consensual sex with a 16-year-old girl.
In that case, Storms was sentenced to six months in jail and 10 years probation.
Contact reporter April Amadon at 439-9222, ext. 6251.
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