LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) – On Friday, March 13, 39-year-old Shawn Watts, who was already in custody at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections, was accused of violating a domestic violence order and tampering with a witness.
Between Feb. 3 and Feb. 20, police said, Watts called the victim 15 times, while he was in custody. While he was on the phone he asked the victim to put their daughter on the phone; Watts was ordered in the domestic violence order not to have contact with the child. Watts spoke to the child on three different occasions during Feb. 3 and Feb. 20, LMPD said.
On Feb. 4, Watts called the victim to tell her to not come to court multiple times, according to a warrant. On Feb. 8 Watts told the victim, according to a warrant, "they're just waiting on medical records to see if they are going to offer me a plea deal, that's why I told you just don't come". On Feb. 19, police said Watts acknowledged he wasn't supposed to have contact with the victim and it was on this date he coached the victim to say things to the prosecutor and defense attorney working his case. According to court documents, Watts said, "…tell them I did not choke you like that, tell them you exaggerated…".
On Feb. 19, police said, Watts also asked the victim for her address to write her a letter to avoid police detection and the victim said she did not want to write letters. Watts said police were listening to his calls from LMDC, according to a warrant.
The warrant said Watts used other jail inmates' IDs to call the victim and avoid detection from police. The warrant says a police detective was able to identify the parties in the recorded phone calls.
Watts is charged with three counts of tampering with a witness, seven counts of violation of conditions of release and three counts of violating a domestic violence order.
