Friday, June 12, 2009

Former Teacher Lucretia Anderson --- 10 Years for Sexual Assault

A former Gilmer High School teacher was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for sexual assault of a child after she violated her probation.

An Upshur County judge in May 2008 sentenced Lucretia Ann Anderson, a former teacher and coach, to 10 years probation on the sexual assault charge. She was arrested in 2004 and charged with assaulting a child under the age of 17 multiple times, District Attorney Billy Byrd said.

The victim's family requested the probation sentence because the child would have been required to testify in the case for a jail sentence to be administered, Byrd said.

Anderson, 38, violated her probation in April after Tyler police arrested her on a theft charge. Byrd said Anderson attempted to steal $294 of merchandise by tearing UPC labels from lower priced items and scanning the cheaper UPC labels at a self check line while holding the more expensive items.

She was placed in the Upshur County Jail on May 8 and held without bond.

District Judge Lauren Parish on Friday heard a motion to revoke Anderson's probation, and handed down the sentence. She will be required to serve at least half of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole, Byrd said.

In addition to violating probation, Anderson also had not attended required group counseling sessions and sex offender therapy classes, Byrd said.

Dennis Delaney Sentenced to 25 years for Distribution Child Porn

A Detroit-area man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after a jury convicted him on child pornography charges.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit says 38-year-old Dennis Delaney of Northville was sentenced Thursday on federal charges including distribution and possession of child pornography.

A jury convicted Delaney last year after a two-week trial. Prosecutors say he met a then-12-year-old girl on the Internet and later they met in person. Delaney took sexually explicit photos of the girl, which he then distributed on the Internet.

In a court filing, Delaney's attorneys said the girl told him she was 18 years old and their relationship ended when he discovered she was lying about her age.

Teacher Michael Drebes Charged with Sexually Assaulting 2 Teens


A teacher at Memorial High School was recently charged with three offenses, including first-degree aggravated assault, for allegedly sexually assaulting two teenage students, Cumberland County Prosecutor Ronald J. Casella announced Friday.

Michael Drebes, 37, of Millville, was arrested also on charges for second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and third-degree official misconduct, Casella said in a news release.

Drebes allegedly sexually assaulted a current 14-year-old student over the course of four months in Cumberland, Cape May and Camden counties, the release said. He is also alleged to have committed an act of sexual assault on a former student who is currently 16 years old.

The Cape May Prosecutor’s Office charged Drebes with first-degree aggravated assault upon a minor less than 16 years old, and second-degree charges of endangering the welfare of a child and sexual assault, the release said.

Charges are also pending in Camden County. The investigation is continuing, the release said.

Millville schools Superintendent Shelly Schneider said the school learned of the arrest June 5, the day after, in a call from city Police Chief Ed Grennon. Police and the Prosecutor's Office asked for confidentiality while the investigation proceeded.

"All I can verify is he is a teacher of math at the Memorial School for five years," Schneider said.

Schneider said Drebes is suspended with pay. That could go to suspended without pay if he is indicted," she said.

Schneider said the students did not contact the district.

"I was only fully aware of the one _ the 14-year-old student," Schneider said. "I know other students were questioned at the high school. I didn't get the results."

Anyone with information should contact Det. Keith Kanauss from the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office at (856) 453-0486 and Det. Keith O’Brien of the Millville Police Department at (856) 825-7010.
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Other Information: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/millville_teacher_accused_in_s.html

Branden Yamamoto Arrested for Sexual Assault on 13-Year-Old


A 19-year-old man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of sexual assault on a child and harboring a minor after authorities said they found a missing 13-year-old girl at his home, according to Lafayette police Sgt. Gene McCausey.

Branden Yamamoto was booked into the Boulder County Jail at 8:35 a.m. after he admitted to having sex with the 13-year-old runaway, McCausey said. The girl's mother called police the previous evening and said she thought her daughter was with Yamamoto, McCausey said.

When police found the girl with him, McCausey said, she denied any sexual contact, but Yamamoto admitted to "knowing her age and said they did have sexual contact," McCausey said.

Although the girl is not old enough to give legal consent, McCausey said, the two were in a relationship and the sex was consensual. They met in the community, not at school, he said.

Yamamoto doesn't have a criminal history in Colorado, according to court records. He left jail late Thursday after posting bond.

Jason Johnson Pleads Guilty to Statutory Sodomy

A Jefferson City man, already serving federal prison time for pleading guilty to possession of child pornography, pleaded guilty Thursday to a first-degree statutory sodomy charge he was facing in Cole County Court.

Under a deal struck with the prosecutor's office, Jason Johnson, 24, will have his seven-year sentence run concurrent with the federal eight-year prison term he is currently serving. He has been in federal prison since last November.

Judge Jon Beetem accepted his plea and told Johnson once he is released from prison, he would need to register as a sex offender.

The charge is from January 2007. The crime took place with a child who was under the age of 14 at the time.

In the courtroom, Beetem asked the mother of the victim if she agreed with the deal and she did. She added that the victim has been in and out of hospitals seven times dealing with suicidal tendencies since the incident and currently is living at Boys and Girls Town.

Robert Cesare Guilty of Possession of Child Porn

A North Richland Hills man pleaded guilty Friday to possessing child pornography and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Immigration and Customs agents went to the residence of Robert Cesare in mid January based on a tip from federal officials in Washington D.C.

When agents examined Cesare's work computer and storage media, they discovered child pornography, a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Cesare admitted using the Internet to purchase the child pornography found on his computer, the news release said.

Samuel Worley Jr Charged with Sexual Exploitation of Minor


The State Law Enforcement Division said that a Union County Elementary School teacher downloaded child pornography on his computer.

Authorities said that 46-year-old Samuel Worley Jr. used a file sharing service to download and disseminate sexually explicit materials of minors on his computer at home.

SLED said that agents confiscated Worley’s computer during an undercover investigation.

Worley was charged with second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
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Information: http://www.wspa.com/spa/news/local/article/union_county_teacher_charged_with_child_porn/20131/

Michael Lorenzen Charged with Possession of Child Porn

A 22-year-old Brookings man pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to charges that he was in possession last April of 21 videos depicting child pornography.

A Brookings County grand jury on May 29 indicted Michael J. Lorenzen on 21 counts of possession of child pornography.

Knowingly possessing a visual depiction of a minor under the age of 18 years engaging in a prohibited sexual act or in the simulation of such act is a Class 4 felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine for each count.
Court documents allege that the 21 video files came from Lorenzen's laptop and were discovered on or about April 8.

In Brookings County Circuit Court this week, Judge Vincent Foley accepted not guilty pleas to all the charges. He then scheduled a jury trial to begin Aug. 19. Lorenzen is free on personal recognizance.

Blake Hauss Arrested for Child Porn


An 18-year-old Lake City man was arrested on child pornography charges Thursday. Columbia County sheriff's deputies said they've been watching Blake Hauss download child pornography onto his personal computer for six months.

According to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, during its investigation detectives located a computer that was downloading and offering to share child pornography online.

The investigation of the computer led officers to a residence on Howard Street. During a search of the home, the computer and other computer-related items were seized.

The seized items will be sent to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s crime lab for further examination.

Hauss was arrested on two felony counts of sexual performance of a child. He is being held in the Columbia County Detention Facility with no bond.
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http://www.lakecityreporter.com/articles/2009/06/12/news/doc4a33107f9a112410143029.txt

William McCaffrey Arrested for Child Porn

A local man who helps save lives may have had a dark side. 51-year-old ER nurse, William McCaffrey of Sparks, is in jail after detectives raided his home and found up to one million pieces of child pornography.

Washoe County Sheriff's Detectives downloaded the porn over the Internet on Tuesday from McCaffrey's home computer. After his arrest, they found that his child porn collection was bigger than they thought, and he may have had plans to expand it even further.

Described as a 'friendly guy who likes to keep to himself,' neighbors of 51-year-old William McCaffrey say they never suspected a thing.

"Not in a hundred years. You just don't think of things like that. I'd see him in the mornings heading home from work and he'd wave. There was no sign of it," said Marcia Jenkins who lives next door.

Court documents show McCaffrey lived at a home on Capurro Way In Sparks, and worked in the emergency room at Saint Mary's hospital. Neighbors say he shared the home with his brother and his handicapped mom.

Detectives say evidence taken from McCaffrey's home included images and videos of little girls as young as three years old engaged in sexual acts with adult men.

"There are kids here, there, running back and forth everyday. I never saw the guy looking at them or anything, so I thought everything was as normal as could be," said Marcia's husband, Johnny Jenkins.

Detectives who interviewed McCaffrey say he had become 'desensitized', and had been increasingly interested in looking at child porn. They say he'd also been copying the photos to DVD's and hard drives, and may have had plans for distribution.

McCaffrey described himself as an amateur photographer, and when detectives asked if he'd consider contacting children himself, he said, quote: "I can't predict the future."

Neighbor Rafael Vasquez says he's disturbed to hear that his six-and-nine year old daughters have been walking past McCaffrey's home for months. His little girls mean the world to him, and he says it's a good thing McCaffrey didn't touch them.

"Well you'd be interviewing me from a jail cell because he'd be a dead man," said Vasquez.

McCaffrey faces five counts of possession of child pornography, plus one count of promotion of the sexual performance of a minor. He's being held in the Washoe County Jail on $75,000 dollars bail. A phone message left at McCaffrey's home number, was not immediately returned.

Detectives say there could be more charges filed in the future. McCaffrey's computer files and other evidence is still being sorted through, but they're hoping the public might know more. If you have any information that could help in the investigation, contact Secret Witness at 322-4900.
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http://www.kolotv.com/home/headlines/47954946.html

Dennis Delaney Sentenced to 25 Years for Trafficking Child Porn

A Detroit-area man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after a jury convicted him on child pornography charges.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Detroit says 38-year-old Dennis Delaney of Northville was sentenced Thursday on federal charges including distribution and possession of child pornography.

A jury convicted Delaney last year after a two-week trial. Prosecutors say he met a then-12-year-old girl on the Internet and later they met in person. Delaney took sexually explicit photos of the girl, which he then distributed on the Internet.

In a court filing, Delaney's attorneys said the girl told him she was 18 years old and their relationship ended when he discovered she was lying about her age.

James Carroll Arrested for Possession of Child Porn & Distribution

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Thursday asked for the public's help in locating other children who may have been victimized by a 59-year-old Sunnyvale child pornography suspect named James Carroll.

Investigators said that Carroll worked at several local schools, both private and public, in Santa Clara County and had been involved in youth ministries, youth counseling and missions work at several local churches. But the sheriff's office declined to identify which schools Carroll was employed by or what churches he was involved in. Carroll worked as a janitor and other jobs in the schools, and had traveled with local Christian churches on missions to Mexico.


Carroll is out on bail, after being arrested on Dec. 15, 2008 for suspicion of possession of child porn and distributing or offering to distribute child porn, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's office. He was arrested after local investigators were tipped off by a Pennsylvania investigation into child pornography.

Anyone with any information regarding James Carroll is asked to contact Detective Tony Hickman with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office Sexual Assault Unit at 408-808-4500.

Jerry Lee Guth Guilty of Sexually Assaulting Teen Boy


Jerry Lee Guth was found guilty Thursday of sexually assaulting a teenage boy in 2007.

The 29-year-old Lindale man, who is hearing impaired and uses sign language interpreters, was charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child for the alleged Oct. 24, 2007, incident.

After five hours of deliberation, the jury in 241st District Judge Jack Skeen Jr.'s court convicted him of the lesser-included offense of sexual assault of a child. The charge is aggravated if the child is younger than 14 and is not aggravated if the child is 14 or older but younger than 17. The jury will return today for the punishment phase. Guth faces two to 20 years in prison.

John White is the pseudonym used in the indictment for the victim to protect his identity.

White testified he couldn't remember the date Guth raped him but said he believed it was before his 14th birthday.

During a videotaped interview Lindale police conducted with Guth on June 30, 2008, the defendant admitted he had sex with White but said it was consensual and that the incident occurred Oct. 24, 2007, when the boy was 13.

During closing arguments, Assistant District Attorney Joe Murphy said the victim testified, crying and alone, for three hours about what happened to him and he was called a liar. He said to believe the victim was 14, not 13, at the time of the incident, the jury would have to call the victim a liar and not believe Guth's confession to police.

"The truth does not change," Murphy said, adding there were no inconsistencies in the victim's statements and that Guth lied repeatedly, changing the story he gave to police several times.

Murphy played a clip for the jury of the nearly three-hour interview Guth had with authorities, in which the defendant admitted he had consensual sex with the boy.

"Do you really think (the victim) went over there and wanted to have sex with him? No," Murphy said. He asked the jurors to find Guth guilty of aggravated sexual assault to show the victim they believed him.

"Justice is ending it today," he said. "Let him (White) start healing."

Defense attorney Don Davidson said the jurors had to presume Guth innocent unless and until the state proved his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. He said Guth was the town nuisance, the village idiot and a "low-functioning person" and that there was no physical evidence connecting him to any kind of sexual crime. He said it came down to White's testimony and Guth's "so-called confession."

"If you have a reasonable doubt about what (White) is saying, then Jerry is not guilty," Davidson said. He asked the jurors how many times White said he wasn't sure about things when he was testifying. He asked why the boy waited so long to tell police about the assault.

Davidson said children make up stories and that the boy's tears on the witness stand may have been tears of regret. He said the "so-called confession" was a three-hour interview of police badgering and "taking this low-functioning town nuisance down." He said there was nothing Guth could have said or done during the interview to change things because he was already arrested for the crime. Ultimately, he told police what they wanted him to say, Davidson said.

"You are the last protection for the rights of the falsely accused," he said.

White was not sure of the date of the alleged incident, why he didn't tell anyone, if Guth threatened him or of what he saw or what object was used in Guth's dark bedroom, he said.

"All of those not sures mean not guilty. He's not guilty," Davidson said.

Murphy said people lie to get out of trouble; people don't lie to get on the witness stand for three hours and talk about a homosexual encounter. He said Davidson wanted to paint it as a frame up but police went above and beyond for Guth, hiring two certified sign language interpreters before they arrested and interviewed him; they did not force him to say he had sex with White. Murphy said no one but Davidson said Guth was low-functioning, and he went through four years of high school.

The victim, now 15, said he went to Guth's house several times to go swimming or to watch pornographic videos and television. Once while they were in his bedroom, White said Guth pushed him on the bed, pulled down his jeans, held him down and "raped me." He said he tried to fight him and was able to roll off the bed and leave. As he ran away, he saw Guth run his finger across his neck, as if slashing his throat, and White said he took it as a threat.

He said he didn't tell anyone what happened because he felt ashamed and embarrassed and was afraid Guth would hurt him again. On June, 24, 2008, White said Guth chased White, who was riding a bike, "halfway across town" on Guth's lawnmower. White rode to his friend's house, told him what Guth had done and his friend called police, he said.