Thursday, July 2, 2009

Former Teacher Charles Rogers Arrested on 76 Counts of Sexual Assault


Former Garrett Junior High School teacher Charles Richard Rogers pleaded not guilty today in District Court to 76 counts of sexual assault of a minor, lewdness with a child, use of a child in pornography and possession of child pornography.

In a small basement courtroom in the Regional Justice Center, Rogers, 46, appeared behind a glass wall in a jail jumpsuit and glasses and told District Judge Kevin Williams that he had a copy of the indictment against him and that he pleaded not guilty to all 76 charges.

Rogers, who remains in the Clark County Detention Center on $1.3 million bail, was arrested March 26 after police received a computer storage device containing child pornography that allegedly had come from his home.

The indictment lists incidents from 1999 through 2009 and names seven victims. It also notes that the identities of several children appearing in the pornography are unknown.

The indictment included two counts of sexual assault of a minor, four counts of use of a minor in pornography, 17 counts of lewdness with a child under 14, 50 counts of possession of child pornography, one count of open and gross lewdness, one count of attempted lewdness with a minor under 14 and one count of child abuse and neglect.

Six family members and friends attended the 20-minute hearing, and Rogers exchanged looks with them as his attorney, Bill Terry, spoke to the judge about hearing dates and procedures.

Rogers, who has diabetes and is a kidney transplant patient, did not look healthy, Terry said after the hearing. He added that he was glad to see that the Clark County jail had allowed his glasses to be delivered to him. The glasses had been an issue Terry brought up in earlier hearings before Boulder City Justice of the Peace Victor Lee Miller.

Rogers is set to appear before District Judge Michael Villani at 8 a.m. July 13 to set a trial date. Terry asked for the hearing date to allow time to ensure the grand jury transcripts are completed, he said.
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http://www.lasvegassun.com/photos/galleries/2009/jul/02/charles-richard-rick-rogers-arraignment/

Devin Sylvester Arrested for Breaking Newborns Leg


Lexington, NC

The sheriff says a 24-year-old was arrested after his newborn was taken to the hospital for a broken leg.

Davidson County Sheriff's deputies arrested 24-year-old Devin Sylvester after receiving a report of child abuse from social services.

Sylvester's 45-day-old child was taken to Baptist Hospital with a fracture to the left thigh. The hospital reported the injury didn't appear to be accidental.

He is charged with Felony Child Abuse.

Sylvester was originally placed under a $5,000 bond but the first appearance judge increased the bond to $100,000.

Ralph Leon Fox Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault

A Bigfork man already facing federal prison time for sex crimes has been convicted in Flathead County of molesting two young sisters.

During a hearing Tuesday in Flathead County District Court, Ralph Leon Fox, 50, pleaded guilty to felony sexual assault and failure to register as a sex offender.

He also pleaded guilty by way of Alford to a second count of felony sexual assault.

An Alford plea allows a defendant to maintain his innocence while conceding enough evidence may exist for a conviction.

Prosecutors believe Fox inappropriately touched a 6-year-old girl and her 10-year-old sister between June 2005 and December 2006.

He also took pictures of them in various states of undress, according to court records.

The victims' parents were in court Tuesday when Fox took the stand and admitted to the molestation, Deputy Flathead County Attorney Lori Adams said.

Fox, who was convicted without the benefit of a plea bargain, could face up to 205 years or life in prison at his July 30 sentencing hearing.

Prosecutors will come up with a sentencing recommendation after receiving a pre-hearing report from the state Office of Probation and Parole and after speaking with the victims' family, Adams said.

Adams said she believes Fox will be required to complete any state prison sentence before starting a 110-year term in a federal penitentiary.

Fox was convicted in March 2008 of sexual exploitation of children, receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography after a one-day bench trial in front of U.S. District Court Judge Donald W. Molloy.

According to federal records, Fox took pornographic pictures of a 6-year-old girl, the same girl Flathead County prosecutors convicted him of molesting, between 2005 and 2007.

When investigators searched Fox's computer, they found images of the girl and other minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Authorities also seized a second computer tower, digital camera and video camera.

Forensic analysis of the computer equipment revealed thousands of pornographic pictures and movies.

Fox had been required to register as a sexual offender after a 1984 conviction for lewd and lascivious acts with a 7-year-old girl in Redding, Calif.

He later violated terms of his parole and had it revoked twice, once fleeing the state.

Eric Durfee Arrested for Child Porn

PEORIA

A Normal man faces between five and 20 years in federal prison if convicted of accessing child pornography on his computer earlier this year.

Eric Durfee made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court on Thursday after a grand jury returned an indictment against him last month.

Durfee allegedly accessed child pornography on his computer March 12. He pleaded not guilty to the charge Thursday and was ordered held in the custody of U.S. marshals pending a detention hearing in U.S. District Court next week.

His case is set for an Aug. 31 trial before U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm.

Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Deputies Arrested 33 Convicted Sex Offenders


HAMMOND, La.

Over the past few weeks Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s deputies have been working with other law enforcement agencies to arrest 33 convicted sex offenders that have not fulfilled their responsibilities.

“Convicted sex offenders have certain obligations that they must perform which are imposed on them by the courts,” said Sheriff Daniel Edwards. “For example, they must keep the sheriff’s office informed as to their current residence, employment, and other information.”

Edwards said the convicted sex offenders they have recently targeted have in some way not met their obligations, resulting in criminal violation.

One of the recently arrested convicted sex offenders was David L. Beauchamp. In 1998, Beauchamp was convicted for carnal knowledge of a juvenile and was registered as a sex offender.

According to Dawn Panepinto, a spokeswoman for the TPSO, Beauchamp failed to comply with his obligations as a sex offender and was arrested on June 9. After his June 9 arrest, Beauchamp made bond, completed his sex offender registration responsibilities and was released, Panepinto said.

On June 26, Beauchamp was arrested and charged with kidnapping, after he removed a small child from the custody of an ex-wife and refused to return the child to its mother, Panepinto said. Since Beauchamp is only a step father to the child, he has no legal custody rights to the child.

Sheriff Edwards said this case demonstrates how dangerous sex offenders can be and how “we must not let our guard down with regard to convicted sex offenders.”

Tylar Hokanson Charged with Murder After Shaking Baby

The Dakota County Attorney's office has charged a Northfield man with the death of his 17-month-old stepson.

Tylar James Hokanson, 22, faces one felony count of murder in the death of Nicholas Miller, who died on June 23 -- four days after Hokanson apparently shook him hard enough to cause the boy's injuries.

"The death of a child under circumstances of alleged abuse such as this is deeply disturbing," Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom said. "This case remains under investigation at this time."

The criminal complaint filed Wednesday with the Dakota County Attorney's Office said Hokanson, 22, admitted to shaking Nicholas, days before the boy died from multiple injuries that included damage to his brain.

An autopsy by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office found the boy had died as a result of multiple blunt force injuries. It also showed the boy had a cracked skull and multiple rib fractures.

The complaint said Hokanson admitted that on June 19 he shook Nicholas "back and forth" by grabbing him by the shoulders after the boy had started throwing a fit. Hokanson told investigators he had been angry because his wife's sister had been mean toward him.

By Saturday, Nicholas did not want to stand on his feet, eat or play with his toys, according to the complaint. At lunch time, the boy refused to eat pizza, one of his favorite foods, and later "appeared to be crying for no reason," according to the report.

On Sunday, the boy appeared to be pale, would not lift his arms and would not use his legs at all. His mom told investigators he looked like a "noodle" and simply sat on the furniture most of the day, leaning his head back.

Hokanson and his wife had gone to the home of Hokanson's mother and stepfather in Maiden Rock, Wis., on Monday, and called 911 the next day because the child was having trouble breathing.

Nicholas was pronounced dead after being taken to a hospital in Durand, Wis.

Hokanson is currently being held at the Dakota County Jail. His bail was set Wednesday at $500,000, or $350,000 if he agrees to not contact Nicholas' family. Hokanson's next court appearance is July 27.

Timothy Storment Charged with Possessing & Distributing Porn

A Springdale man is facing charges of possessing and distributing child pornography.

Timothy Storment, 43, was picked up in front of the Springdale Library on Wednesday.

Investigators said a newly completed search of a computer taken from Storment's hotel room found thousands of sexually explicit images involving children.

Storment has a prior arrest history of sexual offenses involving minors in Arkansas and Texas, police said.

Brian O'Brien Arrested for Sexual Abuse

A 25-year-old Hammondsport man was arrested on charges of third-degree sexual abuse, endangering the welfare of child and unlawful imprisonment after New York State Police said he had sexual contact with girl under age 17.

Brian T. O'Brien was charged on Monday after an investigation by state police in Bath.

Police said the incident occurred in the village of Hammondsport but that O'Brien also transported the girl to the village of Bath without parental permission or consent.

O'Brien was arraigned in Village of Hammondsport court and released. He is scheduled to reappear on July 20.

John Crozier Charged with Making Child Porn Available

An Orillia man has been charged with child pornography offences following an online undercover investigation. He appeared in Barrie for a bail hearing on Tuesday.

On Monday, the Ontario Provincial Police executed a search warrant at an Orillia home and seized seven computers and related CDs allegedly containing images of child sexual abuse. Members of the OPP child exploitation section (Project P), and the Orillia OPP detachment in conjunction with the OPP electronic crime section made the arrest.

John Crozier, 47, was charged with two counts of possession of child pornography and one count of making child pornography available.

Crozier was released from police custody yesterday on a $2,500 surety. He is scheduled to appear in Orillia court on July 28.

Teacher Daniel Harvey Sr Charged with Sexual Assault

A Delsea Regional High School teacher has been charged with sexually assaulting a 17-year-old Delsea Regional female student.

Daniel L. Harvey Sr. is the second local high school teacher in the last two months to be accused by police of carrying on a sexual relationship with a teenage student.

The 41-year-old Pilesgrove Township man was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree sexual assault, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree official misconduct, for incidents that allegedly took place in Vineland beginning in October 2008, according to Assistant Prosecutor Dara Paley.

"We have allegations that this defendant, who is a school teacher, engaged in sexual relations with a 17-year-old student. This defendant breached the trust that the community placed in him," she said in court Thursday.

Harvey, who teaches computers at Delsea Regional High School, pleaded not guilty to his charges during an initial court appearance Thursday afternoon, at which time Superior Court Judge Gary Wodlinger reduced his bail from $350,000 to $175,000 cash or bond.

Wodlinger, a family court judge, handled Thursday's proceeding in the absence of Cumberland County's three Superior Court criminal court judges.

The reduction in bail was influenced by the appearance of Harvey's mother at the court hearing and statements by Harvey's defense attorney, Ned Rogovoy, who brought his client a suit to wear in court rather than appear in the standard orange county jail uniform.

Wodlinger declined to lift an order forbidding unsupervised contact between Harvey and his minor children.

Harvey has three children with his wife, with whom he is currently involved in divorce proceedings, according to Rogovoy.

While Rogovoy argued that there have been no allegations of misconduct between his client and his client's children, Paley said that the safety of his children is still an issue.

"Although we may believe that there is no problem with the children of the marriage and while we may think that there is no problem with the children of the marriage, we are not certain that there are no problems with the children of the marriage," she said.

Sexual assault carries a potential 10-year prison sentence, with mandatory 85 percent to be served before parole.

Other charges could be forthcoming for more incidents involving the same victim in other counties, said Assistant Prosecutor John Jesperson, who was present at Thursday's court proceeding, but all charges will be handled in Cumberland County.

This latest case of alleged sexual assault follows a case in June in which a Millville high school teacher was accused of sexual assault involving two female students.

Also, in April, a 23-year-old teacher's aide at Veterans Memorial Middle School, in Vineland, was arrested and charged with kissing a 14-year-old student and sending him nude and suggestive photographs of herself.
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http://www.nj.com/cumberland/index.ssf/2009/07/vineland_police_charge_delsea.html

Brian McMackin Arrested on Multiple Child Porn Charges


A Milan man pleaded not guilty in federal court to multiple child pornography charges Wednesday, according to a spokesman for the FBI.

Brian D. McMackin, 27, appeared in federal court in Memphis on charges of production, distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography, according to Todd McCall, supervisor of the FBI's Jackson office.

McCall said authorities are still looking for children who may have been victims in the case.

"At this point we have been made aware that there are other victims or potential victims, in this case (it's) small children, females," McCall said Wednesday. "In the past 10 years, if Mr. McMackin has had contact with any small children in your home, we probably need to talk with you."

McCall declined to give details on how the pornography was discovered but said the images were "computer based and by other means as well."

McMackin is being held without bond. He was indicted last month as part of an investigation by member agencies of the FBI Memphis Crimes Against Children Task Force.

A report hearing for McMackin is set for July 23 in federal court in Memphis, McCall said.

The various charges carry potential prison sentences ranging from five to 30 years.

Anyone with additional information or who believes they have been a victim is asked to call the Jackson FBI Office at 668-9578.

If after hours, leave a voicemail or call the FBI Memphis Division at 901-747-4300.

Edger Mendiola Arrested for Sex Abuse

A Logan man was arrested Tuesday for investigation of six counts of aggravated sex abuse of a child after the man's alleged victim reported her accusation to police.

Logan Police Lt. Rod Peterson said Edger Mendiola, 37, was booked into the Davis County Jail after a girl under the age of 13 called police about him.

Though he is a resident of Cache County, Mendiola was booked into the Davis County Jail because that was where the arrest took place.

Peterson said the investigation was ongoing, and police became concerned Mendiola was made aware of it. When he was arrested, Peterson said, they believed he was attempting to flee, as he was heading south on Interstate 15. That put him in Davis County at the time of the arrest.

Elijah McClain Sentenced to 18 Years for Child Porn

A 48-year-old Curry County man on Thursday morning was sentenced to 18 years in prison for possession of child pornography.

Elijah McClain’s arrest stems from the interception of online communications in 2006 by the FBI that indicated McClain was buying child pornography, according to District Attorney Matthew Chandler.

The FBI alerted the Curry County Sheriff’s Office, which executed a search warrant on his home and discovered 30,000 images of child pornography on McClain’s computer.

McClain pleaded guilty Thursday to 21 counts of possession of child pornography and District Judge Teddy L. Hartley immediately handed down the 18-year prison sentence, according to Chandler.

When McClain finishes his prison term, he faces five to 20 years of intensive, supervised probation and must register as a sex offender.
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http://myhighplains.com/content/fulltext/?cid=64502

Joseph Leitner Loses House for Possession of Child Porn


A man who admitted to possessing thousands of images of child pornography will lose his house as punishment for the crime.

Federal prosecutors say 62-year old Joseph Leitner pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography and agreed to forfeit his Lexington house.

The US Attorney says agents found more than 30-thousand images of child pornography inside the house on Cochran Road in Chevy Chase when they raided it last year.

They say the house is being seized because of the high volume of images and length of time Leitner used it to download and view the images.

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Chad Michael Lee Welsh Sentenced for Trafficking Child Porn

A 30-year-old Burlington man has been sentenced to federal prison after computer detectives tracked child pornography to his computer.

Thirty-year-old Chad Michael Lee Welsh has been sentenced to 100 months in a federal prison, followed by 10 years of probation.

An undercover investigation tracked child pornography to an I-P address that ultimately was tracked to Welsh's computer. Prosecutors say a search of Welsh's computer found additional child pornography and many of the images were of children listed on the missingkids.com website as "missing" or "exploited."

Investigators says Welsh "received and distributed" child pornography via computer software called LimeWire.
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http://www.wqad.com/news/wqad-burlington-child-pornography-sentenced-070109,0,5305244.story

Joseph McNealy Sentenced for Possession of Child Porn

JACKSON, Miss.

Joseph McNealy, a former Jackson computer systems administrator, was sentenced on Thursday to 70 months in prison for receiving and possessing images of child pornography, federal officials said.

McNealy, 39, was also sentenced to lifetime supervised release following his term in prison and was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, federal officials said.

McNealy was found guilty in March after a four-day jury trial in Natchez, officials said.

Federal investigators discovered image files of child pornography on McNealy’s home computer on Sept. 14, 2004, officials said.

According to testimony presented at trial, McNealy received the child pornography from Internet newsgroups and Web sites between 2003 and 2004.

Jose Luviano Charged with Sexually Assaulting 3-year-old


The husband of the operator of a Naperville children's day care center had bail set at $1 million Thursday after he was charged with sexually assaulting a 3-year-old girl at the center.

Jose Luviano, 43, of the 100 block of Cedarbrook Road in Naperville has been charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, Assistant DuPage County State's Atty. Cathy DeLaMar told Judge Peter Ostling.

According to the charges, Luviano assaulted his victim at his home while she was attending the Christian Dollhouse Daycare, which is operated by Luviano's wife out of the couple's home.

The Naperville Police Department began an investigation into Luviano after the victim's parents grew concerned about statements the child made regarding the abuse.

DeLaMar said that if Luviano is convicted he faces a prison sentence from 6 to 60 years.

The state's attorney's office and the Naperville Police Department are continuing their investigation.
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http://www.wqad.com/news/sns-ap-il--childsexassault-illinois,0,4422394.story

David Zerfoss Arrested for Possession of Child Porn

Deputy U.S. Marshals have captured a convicted sex offender, who is a former local bank executive, at his Honolulu home for allegedly violating conditions of his supervised release.

David G. Zerfoss was found at his home Tuesday, and arrested on a warrant charging him with revocation of his release, a U.S. Marshals news release said Wednesday.

Zerfoss allegedly possessed child pornography, a violation of the conditions of his supervised release, according to U.S. Marshals.

Zerfoss is a former chief investment officer at Bank of Hawaii and Central Pacific Bank.

In January 2005, he was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release for possessing child pornography.

A week before he was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge David Ezra, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory federal sentencing guidelines were unconstitutional. Zerfoss would have faced at least 27 months in prison if the mandatory federal sentencing guidelines were still in place. Instead, the Supreme Court ruled that the guidelines should be advisory, not mandatory.

Zerfoss pleaded guilty in April 2004 to one count of possessing child pornography downloaded from the Internet.

In a computer and hard drive seized from his Makiki home in December 2003, investigators found 13 movies and 19 photos of exploited children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. They also found evidence on the computer history log that child pornography sites had been accessed just the morning and night before, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Tong.

At the time of his sentencing, Ezra said he believed it was unlikely Zerfoss would revert to his previous behavior because of rehabilitation he has undergone since entering his plea.