Michael Elders Arrested for Sexual Battery on 10-year-old

A Cayce man has been arrested and charged with criminal sexual conduct involving a 10-year-old child.

Michael Ray Elders, 45, of Congaree Drive, was arrested at his home, accused by the Cayce Department of Public Safety of engaging in sexual battery with the child.

The child's gender and relationship with Elders are being withheld to protect the child's identity.
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Jason Belcher Convicted of Sexual Assault & Incest

Jason Belcher, Junior was convicted of 1st degree sexual assault, incest and sexual abuse by a parent.

The jury returned its verdict Wednesday afternoon after just a day-and-a-half of testimony.

Belcher was acquitted of three other charges.

Officials say the victim in the case was 2-years-old at the time of the abuse.

Belcher will be sentenced on August 31st at 8:30am.

He's being held in the Southern Regional Jail.

Brothers Gerald & Glen Hall Arrested for Using Blow Torch to Burn 6-year-old

Two Clare County men are headed to trial on charges of torture and first-degree child abuse.

A Monday pretrial hearing for Gerald T. Hall and his brother, Glen L. Hall, failed to produce plea agreements so the case will proceed, said Special Prosecutor Norman E. Gage. Glen Hall, 44, faces an additional charge of being an habitual offender.

A trial date is pending.

State police from the Mount Pleasant Post claim the men in October took turns using a blow torch to burn a 6-year-old boy's buttocks to punish him.

The youngster is the son of Gerald Hall, 36. The boy suffered second- and third-degree burns.

Glen Hall already is on probation for a charge of operating under the influence causing serious injury, state Department of Corrections records show. He pleaded guilty in 2003 in Isabella County.

Three Men Arrested on Sex Crimes

The alleged sex offenders are:
John Harness, 61, of RD 4, Box 322A, Cameron, who was indicted on two counts of sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian or person in a position of trust;

Michael Richard Patterson, 35, of 1103 Seventh St., Moundsville or 357 Ridgeview Lane, Moundsville, charged with single counts of incest, second-degree sexual assault, sexual abuse in the first degree and third or subsequent offense driving while his license was revoked for driving under the influence;

Jerry Clyde Hall, 27, of 1418 Pearl St., Moundsville, who was indicted on eight counts of third-degree sexual assault.

Harness allegedly tried to buy the silence of a sexual assault victim with a muzzleloader and other gifts. According to Marshall County sheriff's deputies, the 13-year-old victim reported the abuse to a school resource officer on April 9, telling the officer Harness had touched him inappropriately on several occasions.

During an interview a few days later, more details emerged, as the alleged victim told investigators the first incident happened close to Christmas, when he was staying overnight at Harness' home. The boy told deputies Harness later gave him a muzzleloader as gift to keep him from saying anything about the alleged abuse. Deputies said the boy claimed a second incident happened in March during a party.

Patterson was arrested in May for the alleged sexual assault of a female relative. Moundsville Police Detective Shawn Allman said the victim, whose age has not been released, claims the assault took place during a New Year's Eve party at Patterson's residence. Allman said the victim claims Patterson encouraged her to drink with him and a friend and gave her illegal drugs before she laid down on the living room couch and fell asleep.

When she awoke, she claims Patterson was watching pornographic videos; she fell back asleep and when she awoke a second time, she alleged Patterson was having sex with her. Allman said Patterson admitted to having sex with the girl and smoking marijuana with her.

Hall is accused of having sex with an underage girl. He was arrested in March following an investigation by the Moundsville Police Department. According to police, Hall allegedly admitted he had sex with the now-14-year-old girl one time in January, knowing she was underage, but claiming he was drunk at the time. Police said the girl claims Hall has had sex with her at least eight times since December, when she was 13 years old. He is lodged at the Northern Regional Jail.

Alex Mesa Charged with Child Abuse

A Palmetto man who said he did not want his daughter to get fat was arrested on a child abuse charge Monday after he grabbed the girl by the hair and threw her to the ground when she asked for something to eat, the Sheriff's Office reported.

Alex Mesa, 31, got into a argument with his 10-year-old daughter around 11 p.m. Monday at his home in the 4000 block of 3rd Avenue Boulevard East in Palmetto.

Deputies say that Mesa slapped his daughter once before asking her if she would go live with her mother.

When Mesa's daughter said she wanted to live with her mother, Mesa grabbed her by the hair and threw her on the bathroom floor, deputies reported.

New Law Sends Jerry Penton to Prison for 40 Years

In a first-of-its-kind case, a Chilton County man has been sentenced to prison under a new federal law that targets the use of child pornography to break down a child's defenses to illegal sexual contact. The practice is offender referred to as "grooming".

District Attorney Leura Canary's office made the announcement regarding the case against 37-year-old Jerry Alan Penton. Penton was found guilty by a jury on all counts in December, 2008 under the anti-grooming provision of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.

The sentence, handed down Friday, came after years of investigation by the FBI into allegations that Penton sexually abused two children, ages 6 and 8.

Nine computers, CDs and other pieces of equipment were seized from the man's home and examined for evidence. Thousands of images and movies containing child pornography were uncovered in the examination.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says many of the victims have been identified as child victims from other states and countries.

Several of the victims gave accounts in Penton's case including one who is now 19-years-old. "When I was told how many people have viewed these images and videos I though my pulse would stop," said the unidentified victim recalled. "Thinking about all those sick perverts viewing my body being ravished and hurt like that makes me feel like I was raped by each and every one of them."

Penton will spend the next 40 years in a federal prison.

Trent Perault Jr Arrested for Sexually Assaulting 2-year-old

District Court authorities set a $250,000 bond for an Oklahoma man accused of sexually assaulting a 2-year-old girl.

Trent D. Perault, Jr., 27, was arraigned on single counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving penetration and first-degree child abuse.

Perault could spend the rest of his life behind bars if he is convicted of the criminal sexual conduct charge. The child abuse charge is a felony that carries a maximum 15-year sentence.

He must return to court for a 9 a.m. Monday, July 27, preliminary hearing.

Gladwin police arrested Perault early Sunday after an investigation that began Saturday when the tot's mother and Perault, who is the mother's boyfriend, took the child to the emergency room at Mid Michigan Medical Center - Gladwin for treatment of injuries to her vaginal area, said Chief Charles P. Jones.

Doctors in Gladwin transferred the youngster to Covenant Medical Center in Saginaw where doctors determined she had been sexually assaulted, Jones said. The victim remains hospitalized.

"During the subsequent intensive investigation, officers learned that the injuries occurred while the victim and her 6-month-old sibling were left in the care of the boyfriend while the mother was at work," the chief said.

14-year-old Edgar Concepcion Jr Charged with Murder

Police received a call about a young child falling at a Charles City home last Friday. Not long afterward, three-year-old Krystel Banes died. Now autopsy results are offering answers, and leading to more questions.

"The cause of the death has been determined to be asphyxia, and the manner of the death, a homicide," said Police Chief Mike Wendel.

Wendel is not saying how the toddler stopped breathing, or how falling relates to her death.

On Saturday, they arrested a teenage boy who lives at the Charles City home where Krystel was found.

Monday morning, he was charged with two Class A Felonies, "14 year old Edgar Concepcion Junior is charged in juvenille court with first degree sexual abuse, and first degree murder."

The police chief isn't offering anymore information on the sexual abuse charges, and prosecutors aren't saying if they plan to try Concepcion as an adult. That will be determined at his next hearing, scheduled for the end of the month.

In the meantime, Krystel's family is planning her funeral, and trying to come to terms with their daughter's death.

"The family at this time is requesting that the media, and the public recognize that they are grieving the loss of their daughter, and are requesting sensitivity and some time and privacy," said Banes family advocate BJ Franklin.

Franklin said the Horizon Survivor Program she works through is not setting up a support group for Concepcion's family. At least one parent is asking for someone to provide counseling for the teen's friends.

Calvin Nail Arrested for Sexually Assaulting 3-year-old

A Marlin teenager is facing charges that he sexually assaulted a 3-year-old girl Monday in Marlin.

Falls County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 17-year-old Calvin Nail Tuesday morning charging him with aggravated sexual assault of a child.

The investigation began after the local hospital notified deputies of the case.
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Marcus Clark Arrested for Distributing Child Porn

A 29-year-old Arbutus man was charged today with five counts of distributing and nine counts of possessing child pornography, according to Maryland State Police.

Marcus Curtis Clark, of the 1000 block of South Beechfield Avenue between Wilkens Avenue and Leeds Avenue, had been under investigation by the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force since April 2008, police said.

The task force’s assignment is to protect children from “computer-facilitated sexual exploitation,” according to police.

The investigation began after a trooper assigned to the task force discovered that someone on a computer connected to a peer-to-peer file-sharing network was offering pornographic videos of children for others to download, police said.

Troopers traced the computer to Clark, then obtained a warrant to search his home.

The warrant was executed last August, according to Sgt. Arthur Betts, a spokesman for the state police.

They confiscated multiple computers, hard drives and other media storage equipment, state police said.

State police forensic examiners recovered “dozens of videos and images of children engaged in various stages of sexual activity” from the confiscated items, police said.

Forensic investigators “have to carefully go in there and dissect the information and pull stuff out,” Betts said.

An arrest warrant was issued yesterday and police notified Clark.

Clark turned himself in to one of the computer crimes investigators early this morning, police said.

If convicted of all the charges, he could be sentenced to 70 years in prison and have to pay $150,000 in fines, police said.

Clark was taken before a District Court commissioner today, and was held on $50,000 bail pending his trial.

Sex Offender Jose Ruiz Arrested for Sexual Abuse

Already serving 16 to 32 years in state prison and designated a sexually violent predator, Jose J. Ruiz is back in York County court, accused of sexually abusing three more young girls.

In 2007, a jury convicted Ruiz of rape of a child, involuntary deviated sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child, indecent assault and corruption of minors.

Testimony at that trial was that Ruiz, now 30, sexually assaulted one girl between ages 8 and 10 during an eight-month period in 2003 and 2004 in the city. The jury also convicted him of unlawful contact with another girl, between ages 9 and 10, in 2005 and 2006.

York City Police Detective Dana Ward testified Tuesday that, days before the 2007 trial began, three other young girls came forward with similar allegations of sexual abuse.

Charges -- including multiple counts of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault and corruption of minors -- filed after that investigation resulted in this week's trial in Common Pleas Court.

Before a jury Tuesday, Ward testified in graphic detail about the sexual acts Ruiz allegedly performed on the girls under threat and forced them to perform on each other.

First Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Boyles rested his case Tuesday.

The trial was recessed until today after defense attorney Korey Leslie requested a Spanish translator for witnesses he intends to call.

Juvenile Arrested for Killing Sex Offender Jon Hazard

A juvenile boy was arrested Monday, accused of shooting and killing a man who was supposed to go to trial on charges of sexually assaulting a child.

Jon Hazard, 43, was found dead near the picnic pavilion in Palmer Park on June 1. He had been shot multiple times. After investigating for more than a month, members of the Violent Crimes/Homicide Unit arrested a juvenile suspect for first-degree murder, Colorado Springs police said.

The boy's name and picture are not being released due to his age.

Police officers did not disclose the motive for the shooting, nor the suspect's relationship to Hazard or to Hazard's alleged victim.

Police said no additional arrests are expected at this time.

Hazard was set to go to trial on several charges involving sexual assault on a 14-year old girl, who is now 15. He had been charged with sexual assault with a pattern of abuse, sexual assault on a child from a person in a position of trust, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The girl said she first met Hazard two years ago when she was in sixth grade, when he lived with her neighbors.

She told police that he would invite her over, give her alcohol and then take pictures of her nude, according the arrest affidavit. She said he would take pictures of her while she was kissing or making out with friends, or in the middle of lewd acts, without her knowledge, and then would later blackmail her into sending him explicit photos of herself, according to the arrest affidavit.

She said at his request she met him at the Hampton Inn, where she was given alcohol until she passed out and then woke up to him rubbing her or fondling her, according the affidavit.

The alleged assaults occurred on Aug 23. 2007 and several times before and after that, according to the affidavit.

James McConnell Arrested for Sexual Assault

A 38-year-old northeast Nebraska man has been arrested, accused of sexual assaulting a child.

James McConnell of Stanton faces charges of first-degree sexual assault and sexual assault of a child.

Sheriff Mike Unger of Stanton County said Monday that McConnell is suspected of several assaults on the girl and that there may be more victims.

Samuel Mariani Arrested for Child Abuse

A 23-year-old man who was arrested early Tuesday following a domestic disturbance at a home in Carlsbad was later booked on suspicion of beating his 17-month-old son, police said.

Officers were dispatched to the home in the 2600 block of Jefferson Street around 12:20 a.m. to investigate a domestic disturbance call, according to Carlsbad police Lt. Jay Eppel.

They located Samuel Mariani and arrested him on suspicion of public intoxication, Eppel said.

Shortly before 1:30 a.m., someone called police and asked that Mariani not be released from jail, alleging that he beat his son, Eppel said.

Officers went back to the home and found bruises and abrasions consistent with abuse on the child, according to Eppel.

The baby was taken to Tri-City Medical Center for treatment and released to the custody of San Diego County Protective Services, Eppel said.

Mariani was being held in the Vista jail in lieu of $150,000 bail on suspicion of public intoxication and child abuse, according to jail records.

Justin Robinson Arrested for Severely Beating 20-month-old

Police call it one of the worst child abuse cases they have seen.

Police say a Pike County man severely beat his girlfriend's 20 month old son so badly that the baby had a broken leg and his entire head was black from the bruising.

Police believe 26 year old Justin Robinson beat the child and police say they had to Taze him just to arrest him, but he is already out of jail on bond.

Police are investigating how and why the alleged beating happened.

Police say 26 year old Justin Robinson was taking care of his live-in girlfriend's 20 month old son while she was at work.

Police say the mother came home and discovered the child in pain and took him to the hospital. Pikeville Medical Center doctors called state police.

“When he saw the child, he saw that there was severe bruising on the face and forehead. To quote Detective Cramer, he said it was “The worse case of bruising he had ever seen for a child this age,” Mike Goble said.

Investigators say the boy's entire head is black from the bruising and say he has a severe broken leg.

Police charged Robinson with abuse.

Troopers say when they went to arrest him, they had to taze him just to take him to jail. Robinson bonded out of jail and is now on home incarceration.

He did not want to talk to us when we went to his home on Greasy Creek Road.

Police believe this was not the first time he abused the child and say there is no clear motive for the alleged beating.

“It's an unbelievable thing to think about anyone that would harm a child, of any age, let alone a 20 month old,” Goble said.

The child is expected to survive. Police say the child is in protective custody and is safe.

Court officials say Robinson has not entered a plea yet.

He is due in court on Thursday.