Sex Offender Sentenced in 2006 Rape

     Dec. 9, 2021 – A repeat sex offender convicted earlier this year in the 2006 rape of a woman near Downtown has been sentenced to 25 years in prison with no possibility for parole, said Shelby County Dist. Atty. Gen. Amy Weirich.

     Defendant Joshua Beadle was sentenced Wednesday by Criminal Court Judge Chris Craft.

    Beadle, 31, who has been incarcerated since 2015 for other sex crimes, was convicted of breaking into an apartment on Jefferson Place near North Danny Thomas where he raped a 22-year-old woman, beat her with a chair and threatened to kill her.

   The attack occurred around 5 a.m. on Jan. 30, 2006.

   A sexual assault kit was prepared and the DNA of an unidentified male from the kit was entered into the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System database. The sample was monitored for a match and in April of 2015 the DNA was identified as belonging to Beadle.

    Beadle is on the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry as a violent offender. He has six prior felony convictions, including statutory rape, attempted aggravated sexual battery, violation of the Sex Offender Registry, two counts of burglary of a building, and theft of property over $1,000.

   He also has pending cases, including aggravate rape, attempted rape, soliciting sexual exploitation of a minor, and aggravated assault. 

    The trial was handled by Asst. Dist. Attys. Abby Wallace and Chris Whitten.