Austin Pedophile Case Widens

Billy Dan Carroll/Austin Police Department

Carroll, 53, faces felony charges of sexually assaulting nearly a dozen young children, ranging from 2 to 15-years-old, and illegally taping children in the bathroom of his house.

Authorities began investigating Carroll, who owns a court-reporting and video-recording business, after allegations surfaced that he'd attempted to force an 8-year-old girl into performing oral sex. A search of his Northwest Austin home uncovered videotapes in which he's seen sexually assaulting two women and several underage children. In some instances, the victims were apparently unconscious, and, more disconcertingly, didn't even realize that they had been raped until police contacted them last week.

"It's horrible," said Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo. "Any crime against another human being is horrible, but when you victimize children, it is one of the most despicable acts a person can commit."

Carroll was a volunteer for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Travis County, which provides support services for abused and neglected children, since 2004. It's believed that he may have met some of his victims through this nonprofit group, though none of the children currently involved in the charges were directly associated with CASA.

Not surprisingly, those who knew the suspect have repeatedly described him as an upstanding citizen and all-around "nice guy."

Mike Wenglar, an employee at KVUE and longtime neighbor of Carroll, said that he was a "nice guy, a really nice guy [who] always waves, very friendly. Volunteer fireman with Volente, just a nice guy involved with the community."

Loyd offered a slightly different interpretation. "He was the perfect neighbor, the perfect friend," he said. "One of those types of people who ingratiates himself to people and portrays to them that you can trust him with your life."