I have previously discussed the case of John Edward Sullivan, who was charged with sexual abuse, pedophilia, among other crimes. Sullivan named his defense attorney, John Young, as the sole beneficiary of his $5 million estate, and a pending will contest in a county probate court and a new criminal charge alleging Young and Sullivan’s bail bondsmen, Ray Zapata, forged the will for their own benefit added unrest to the case. Now, months after litigation began with a motion for a new trial in a probate hearing that gifted millions to Young, one of Sullivan’s victims has come forward to claim the fortune; citing years of sexual abuse and the promise of money as supporting facts as his stake in the estate. The victim’s case centers on repeated sexual abuse and physical, emotional and psychological damage incurred as a result of his relationship to Sullivan in addition to Sullivan’s agreement to reward him with compensation after his death. However, the defense questions the motivation behind Sullivan’s involvement in the relationship.
See Chelsea Reinhard, Victim’s Attorney: Sullivan’s Estate Could be Drained Before Trial, San Angelo Live, May 8, 2015.
