WICKSBURG, Ala. (WDNews) – Two men are behind bars after a Houston County Sheriff’s Office investigation uncovered separate incidents of child sexual abuse in the Wicksburg community.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, deputies were notified on October 7, 2025, that a juvenile had been sexually assaulted near the 100 block of Market Street. Investigators quickly began collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses. The victim was later interviewed at the local Child Advocacy Center.
Through the course of the investigation, authorities identified 62-year-old Thomas Ratcliffe of Daleville as one of the offenders. Investigators also determined that the juvenile victim had previously been sexually assaulted by 66-year-old Ricky Paschal of Wicksburg.
On October 8, Houston County investigators and SWAT personnel executed two search warrants in the 100 block of Market Street, where multiple pieces of evidence were collected.
Ratcliffe was arrested and charged with one count of Sexual Abuse of a Child Less than 12. His bond was set at $30,000. Paschal was charged with three counts of Sexual Abuse of a Child Less than 12, with total bonds set at $90,000.
Both men were booked into the Houston County Jail, where they remain in custody.
