Former Bayou La Batre police officer pleads guilty to rape

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - A former Bayou La Batre police officer has pleaded guilty to a rape charge and must register as a sex offender.

Mobile County District Attorney Keith Blackwood says William “B.J.” Squires pleaded guilty today to second-degree rape as part of a plea deal in connection with the rape of a 14-year-old.

“This was done in very close consultation with the victim in the case. There were evidentiary hurdles that we had due to this being a late report, and it was many years later that the victim reported this. We have a duty to justice. That was done here. The defendant has taken accountability,” Blackwood said.

A judge sentenced Squires to 10 years in prison but suspended that sentence for three years of probation.

Background of the case

Today’s deal stems from a case that went public two years ago. Investigators searched Squires’ home and detained him after allegations of sexual misconduct with underage girls in September of 2024.

At the time, Squires was a Bayou La Batre police officer. He was placed on administrative leave, and later fired.

That same year, a grand jury indicted Squires on four felony counts in connection with the alleged rape of the 14-year-old that prosecutors say happened about 20 years ago: first- and second-degree rape, and first- and second-degree sexual abuse.

Prosecutors later dropped one of the sexual abuse counts.

Before today’s agreement, Squires had been behind bars since last June, after a judge revoked his bond for violating bond conditions.

Blackwood says the DA’s office has a duty to protect victims, and in this case, they did not want to cause any further trauma by forcing the victim through a trial.

“We are thankful that the defendant will be a supervised sex offender. My hope is he will never be in law enforcement again,” Blackwood said.

As part of the plea deal, the misdemeanor charge of second-degree sexual abuse was dropped.