ANNANDALE, VA — An Annandale man who served as a substitute teacher and youth sports coach at St. Michael's Catholic School was sentenced Friday to nearly 13 years in prison for sexually abusing a young child, according to Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney Steve Descano.
Eric Williams, 52, received a 40-year prison sentence, with all but 12 years and 11 months suspended, after pleading guilty to one count of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of object sexual penetration.
The defendant's name, Annandale residence and Feb. 27, 2025, arrest date match information released last year by the Catholic Diocese of Arlington about Dr. Eric Sean Williams, a longtime substitute teacher and volunteer at St. Michael's Catholic School.
In a statement issued following the February 2025 arrest, the Catholic Diocese of Arlington said Dr. Eric Sean Williams had worked as a long-term substitute teacher at St. Michael's Catholic School in Annandale since January 2019.
Williams had also volunteered at the school and parish since October 2016, including serving as a Catholic Youth Organization coach, according to the diocese.
The diocese said Williams' teaching and volunteer activities ended with his arrest.
As a condition of his employment and volunteer work, Williams underwent criminal background checks and completed VIRTUS safe environment training, which focuses on preventing and reporting abuse.
According to the diocese, Williams first completed the training in 2016 and had maintained his compliance through the time of his arrest.
The diocese emphasized that no known criminal incidents occurred on parish or school property.
"The Catholic Diocese of Arlington has a zero tolerance policy for abuse and is fully committed to training our clergy, staff, and volunteers to identify and report suspected instances of abuse," the diocese said in its statement.
The diocese also encouraged anyone with information about Williams or possible misconduct to contact Fairfax County police.
According to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office, the investigation began in February 2025, when a child who was 5 at the time told her mother that Williams had touched her inappropriately.
During a subsequent forensic interview with detectives, the child described three separate incidents that occurred in the basement of Williams' home, prosecutors said.
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Williams later admitted to the sexual abuse, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court records show that Williams was arrested Feb. 27, 2025.
He initially faced multiple felony charges, including rape, aggravated sexual battery, object sexual penetration and incest.
Court records show that five of the original charges were dropped by prosecutors, while three were certified to a grand jury.
Williams ultimately pleaded guilty April 9, 2026, to one count of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of object sexual penetration in Fairfax County Circuit Court, according to prosecutors.
Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David A. Oblon was assigned to Williams' sentencing hearing Friday, according to court records.
The judge imposed 20 years for aggravated sexual battery and 10 years for each of the two object sexual penetration convictions, for a total sentence of 40 years.
All but 12 years and 11 months was suspended, leaving Williams to serve nearly 13 years of active incarceration.
Prosecutors had requested an active sentence of 12 years and 11 months, which they said represented the high end of Virginia's state sentencing guidelines.
Court records show that Williams' sentencing hearing was originally scheduled for Aug. 7 before being continued to Friday. A sentencing memorandum was filed on his behalf Nov. 2.
"The defendant's abuse has harmed this child and the rest of her family in irreparable ways," Descano said in a statement Friday. "Today's sentence is appropriate for the gravity of his actions."
The Catholic Diocese of Arlington previously urged anyone with information about Williams to contact the Fairfax County Police Department at 703-691-2131.
The diocese also encouraged anyone with information about abuse or misconduct involving diocesan clergy, employees or volunteers to contact civil authorities and its Victim Assistance Coordinator at 703-841-2530.
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