A former Bridgeport High School athletic trainer has been indicted on a new sex crime charge involving a child.
WILLIAM LAWRENCE NEWSOM
Billy Newsom, 61, of Bridgeport was indicted May 22 by a Wise County grand jury on three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a disabled person, a first degree felony offense, and one count of indecency with a child by sexual contact, a second degree felony offense.
The indictment was unsealed following Newsom’s arrest on the new charges June 4. Wise County jail records show Newsom posted $50,000 bond and was released the following day.
Last October, Newsom was indicted on five counts of online solicitation of a minor under 14. Two of those counts were first degree felony offenses, and three were second degree felony offenses. The indictment states Newsom believed to be communicating with a female under the age of 14 in March of 2024, sending explicit sexual material which described acts of aggravated sexual assault. One electronic communication included a request to meet for sex, according to the indictment.
The latest indictment lists a single victim on all five counts, a male under the age of 17. The alleged sexual assaults happened in 2002, according to the indictment.
Bridgeport Police Chief Steve Stanford said during the initial investigation last year, detectives met with a victim who alleged a crime was committed several years ago.
“From the initial report, we’ve utilized a multi-disciplinary approach in this investigation with coordination from partners at the Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas,” Stanford said when asked for comment on the case. “At the conclusion of the investigation, an offense report was provided to the 271st District Attorney’s office for grand jury indictment.
“As with any criminal case, we’re seldom sure that unidentified victims remain, but frequently, criminal cases involving sexual abuse sadly go unreported. We continue to encourage any victim or anyone with further information concerning such incidents to contact Detective Bradshaw at 940-683-3420. All local and state law enforcement partners remain committed to seeking justice in this very sensitive case.”
Newsom was an athletic trainer at Bridgeport High School, working with Bridgeport athletes for around 20 years. He retired in 2018.
The investigation into Newsom began more than a year ago after a video was posted by an online social media account on Rumble that films confrontations with people suspected of committing child sex crimes. The account posted a video in March 2024 confronting Newsom. Following the confrontation, the film crew reported him to the Bridgeport Police Department.
Newsom was first arrested April 17, 2024, following an investigation by the Bridgeport Police Department along with the Wise County District Attorney’s Office, Texas Rangers and the U.S. Secret Service forensic division. He was released the following day after posting $25,000 bond.
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