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'''William Robert Sumlin, Jr.''' (born October 30, 1943), is a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] former member of the [[Louisiana]] House of Representatives. From 1983 to 1988, he represented District 12 in Lincoln and Union parishes.<ref name=mylife/> He was succeeded by the Democrat-later-[[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Virgil Orr]], a retired [[Louisiana Tech University]] administrator.<ref>HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf (louisiana.gov), Lincoln Parish listing, accessed May 2, 2021.</ref>

'''William Robert Sumlin, Jr.''' (born October 30, 1943), is a [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] former member of the [[Louisiana]] House of Representatives. From 1983 to 1988, he represented District 12 in Lincoln and Union parishes.<ref name=mylife/> He was succeeded by the Democrat-later-[[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Virgil Orr]], a retired [[Louisiana Tech University]] administrator.<ref>HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf (louisiana.gov), Lincoln Parish listing, accessed May 2, 2021.</ref>

Sumlin led in a [[special election]] on September 11, 1982, to fill the legislative seat vacated by Democrat Joe Bleich, who became a judge. In the runoff contest in conjunction with the [[general election]] of November 2, 1982, Sumlin defeated fellow Democrat William J. "Troy" Lowe, 4,814 to 4,726, a majority of eighty-eight votes. Lowe later switched to Republican affiliation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/william-lowe/e490882846926|title=William Lowe|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=May 2, 2021.</ref> In the regular 1983 [[primary]], he was reelected to a full term with 54 percent of the ballots cast over two opponents, including Troy Lowe. In the regular primary of October 24, 1987, Sumlin trailed with 31 percent of the vote and then withdrew from a runoff with the successful candidate, Virgil Orr who finished in the primary with 44 percent of the ballots cast.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, September 11 and November 2, 1982, October 22, 1983, and October 24, 1987.</ref>

Sumlin led in a [[special election]] on September 11, 1982, to fill the legislative seat vacated by Democrat Joe Bleich, who became a judge. In the runoff contest in conjunction with the [[general election]] of November 2, 1982, Sumlin defeated fellow Democrat William J. "Troy" Lowe, 4,814 to 4,726, a majority of eighty-eight votes. Lowe later switched to Republican affiliation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/william-lowe/e490882846926|title=William Lowe|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=May 2, 2021}}</ref> In the regular 1983 [[primary]], he was reelected to a full term with 54 percent of the ballots cast over two opponents, including Troy Lowe. In the regular primary of October 24, 1987, Sumlin trailed with 31 percent of the vote and then withdrew from a runoff with the successful candidate, Virgil Orr who finished in the primary with 44 percent of the ballots cast.<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, September 11 and November 2, 1982, October 22, 1983, and October 24, 1987.</ref>

In 2019, Sumlin pleaded guilty to having in 2015 provided "sexually violent material" to a 16-year-old juvenile. Judge Tommy Rogers of the Louisiana 3rd Judicial District, Division B, sentenced Sumlin to (1) three years hard labor, suspended (2) three years supervised probation, and (3) a $1,000 fine. The original charge was indecent behavior with a juvenile, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years and a maximum $5,000 fine. Sumlin told the judge that he "is sorry this happened."<ref>Sumlin Pleads Guilty to Obscenity | Lincoln Parish News Online (wordpress.com), accessed May 2, 2021.</ref>

In 2019, Sumlin pleaded guilty to having in 2015 provided "sexually violent material" to a 16-year-old juvenile. Judge Tommy Rogers of the Louisiana 3rd Judicial District, Division B, sentenced Sumlin to (1) three years hard labor, suspended (2) three years supervised probation, and (3) a $1,000 fine. The original charge was indecent behavior with a juvenile, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years and a maximum $5,000 fine. Sumlin told the judge that he "is sorry this happened."<ref>Sumlin Pleads Guilty to Obscenity | Lincoln Parish News Online (wordpress.com), accessed May 2, 2021.</ref>