Convicted rapist must go to sex offender treatment center

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A jury has decided that convicted rapist Tommy Lee Andrews will be sent to a sex offender treatment center instead of being released from prison.

Andrews was convicted of raping two women in 1987 and was the first person ever convicted with DNA evidence. He was set to be released next week, but jurors chose to send him to a treatment center instead.

Four rape victims managed to smile as they clutched one another after finding out Andrews will not go free.

“I have a 28-year-old daughter who has seen me change as not  being able to be a loving person,” said victim Wanda Meade.

“No one has any idea what we've gone through,” said victim Kimberly Valerio.

Andrews did not appear to have a reaction as he found out he would have to undergo treatment.

Andrews represented himself in the "Jimmy Ryce hearing," and even called his new wife to the stand on Wednesday.

Judy Andrews, whom Andrews married while incarcerated, told the jury on Wednesday her husband is a normal person.

When asked to describe Andrews' personality, she said her husband is "steadfast, dependable, loyal, family oriented, caring, kind and gentle."

Prosecutor Alison Kerestes went on to say that "Andrews enjoys having sex with women who do not want to have sex with him."

The Orlando detective on the case testified Andrews is suspected of as many as 23 rapes, but once he got 100 years in prison, authorities stopped going after him.

Andrews' victims testified throughout the week about how he raped them.

One woman said Andrews was able to get into her house to rape her, despite the doors being locked and security system being on.

"He got in through the back door with the security system. He got around it somehow," the woman said.

Belich said Andrews learned about home security as an Orlando Police Explorer as a teen.

Another victim described her terror when Andrews attacked her from behind as she went to call for help after hearing a noise.

"I went to grab the phone, someone said, 'Drop the phone, now.' My bodily functions just let go. He had a knife to my throat," she said.

Andrews' victims said he is still a threat, and they want to make sure he's not released into society.

But Andrews wanted to skip sex offender rehabilitation and go straight to having total freedom after serving less than half of his 62-year prison sentence.

A state psychologist testified that Andrews was at high risk of reoffending, partly because he has never admitted to having mental problems and still professes his innocence.

WFTV