Man who sexually assaulted 6-year-old girl at church is sentenced

                                 
A Franklin County man is facing sexual assault charges involving a 6-year-old girl at a church Thursday.

According to court documents, the girl was on her way to the bathroom at the Body of Christ Church on Spring Forest Road in Raleigh when she encountered 33-year-old William Coffey in a hallway.
Coffey allegedly picked her up and carried her into the men's restroom.

The documents state Coffey "covered the mouth of the victim when she attempted to scream."
He then allegedly sexually assaulted the girl before letting her leave the bathroom.
Coffey had left the church by the time the girl returned to her parents and told them about the incident, according to court documents.
Ed Coffey, the suspect's father, was also at the church during the alleged attack.
"All I know is, and I'll say is, I was with him for 45 minutes in the church. Okay?" Ed Coffey said. "Continuing our meeting, nothing was going on. We left quietly, went out, nobody said a thing. We got home and that's when I got a call."
In a statement, Body of Christ Church said that while it has stringent procedures in place for all personnel working with children, Coffey was not a church member and was visiting a men's Bible study group when the alleged attack happened.

"Our ultimate concern and care now and has always been for the child and family involved," it said.
Coffey has since been charged with first-degree sex offense child, first-degree kidnapping and indecent liberties with child.
He is currently being held in the Wake County Jail under a $1 million bond.