Paul Bess Charged with Aggravated Sexual Battery

A Suffolk teacher's assistant is accused of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old child.

Police say Paul Andrew Bess, 59, turned himself following his indicment on charges of aggravated sexual battery and indecent liberties with a child.

Bess is alleged to have sexually assaulted the child at Nansemond Parkway Elementary School in June.

Bess is on admininstrative leave from his job there, according to officials.

He was hired by Suffolk Schools in August 2006 and a "successful background check was completed. He has since had exemplary evaluations,” according to spokeswoman Bethanne Bradshaw.

Bess is being held in Western Tidewater Regional Jail with no bond.

In a letter to parents Monday, principal Keith Hubbard said the Department of Social Services had conducted an investigation into this alleged incident in August and determined that the charges were unfounded.

He also made sure parents knew counselors are available if needed.

PRINCIPAL'S LETTER TO PARENTS:

October 5, 2009

Dear Parents & Guardians:

Student safety is a top priority in Suffolk Public Schools, and we want to keep families informed of situations as soon as we are able.

As you may be aware from media coverage, a teacher assistant here, Paul Bess, has been charged with aggravated sexual battery. The alleged incident was reported by a student to have happened in June during school hours. Because of the arrest, Bess has been placed on administrative leave until the allegations are resolved through the judicial system. At the time he was hired in August 2006, a successful background check was completed, and he has since had exemplary evaluations.

In August, the Department of Social Services conducted an investigation into this alleged incident and determined that the charges were unfounded.

I know as a parent such an allegation is troubling. The school works diligently to provide a quality education for all children, and to maintain a safe learning environment where students can trust the adults responsible for their care. In light of this incident, you might find an opportunity to talk with your child about these sensitive issues. If you feel your child would benefit from talking to a guidance counselor now or in the future, please call the school at 923-4167 and share your concerns.

Thank you for your concern and your efforts to keep Nansemond Parkway Elementary School a safe school.

Sincerely,

Keith Hubbard

Principal,

Nansemond Parkway Elementary School
--http://hamptonroads.com/2009/10/suffolk-teachers-aide-charged-sex-assault----------------------------

Officer Corey Yocum Arrested for Sexual Contact to Child

A former Olney police officer was arrested on a district court warrant alleging two counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact.

Corey J. Yocum was arrested by the Dallas Police Department on Friday and held on a $100,000 bond.

According to two indictments issued by a Young County grand jury in May, Yocum intentionally caused a child under the age of 17 to touch him and he allegedly touched the girl in sexual manners. At the time of the alleged offense, Oct. 24, 2008, Yocum was a police officer in Olney.

“We received the allegation and forwarded it to an impartial agency to investigate,” said Randall Davis, chief of the Olney Police Department. “That investigation led to him being indicted. It’s embarrassing that it happened to us. We have every intention of policing ourselves, as well as the community.”

Jim Reeves, the investigator for 90th Judicial District Attorney Brenda Gray, said when he learned Yocum was still at large and might be in the Dallas area, he asked for help in finding the man who police have been looking for since May.

“I saw the guy hadn’t been arrested, and he had been indicted in May,” Reeves said. “I picked up the phone and contacted a Texas Ranger, Sgt. Eric Casper. Casper put out the information to his contacts in Dallas. As a result, he was arrested by the Child Sex Exploitation Unit of the Dallas PD.”

Yocum was taken to the Dallas County Jail on Friday and was transported to Young County on Monday. He is currently being held in the Young County Jail.

G.L. Sizemore Charged with Rape of Child

A man accused of multiple sex crimes against a family member goes on trial this week.

G.L. Sizemore, 49, of Kings Mountain, has been charged with two counts of indecent liberties of a child, first-degree rape of a child, first-degree sex offense of a child, and failure to appear on those charges. His last known address is Farris Road.

Sizemore is accused of committing sex crimes while he lived in the home where the victim also lived, according to court testimony. Prosecutors said the sexual abuse lasted more than five years.

Several potential jurors were candid Monday when asked by prosecutors and the defense if they knew of or experi-enced any form of sexual abuse. More than 10 people said that they had either experienced abuse or knew of a family member who had.

Many were dismissed. It took several hours for the eight-man, four-female jury to be chosen.

Opening statements

Prosecutor Elizabeth Lari began her opening statement by saying the case, “has been a family secret for a long time.”

Lari told jurors Sizemore began touching the accuser when she was a child and went on to say the touching esca-lated to fondling and eventually intercourse. The alleged abuse began at age 5 and ended at age 12, according to Lari.

“It happened a number of times throughout the years,” Lari said.

Lifelong memory

Tears rolled down the accuser’s face as Lari told jurors she will testify on Tuesday.

“I hope she will give you the full picture,” Lari said. “This is a lifelong memory that she has repressed and will now recall in a room full of strangers.”

According to court testimony, the victim came forward to authorities in July 2003 to give a full, detailed account of what happened those years of her childhood.

Two sides of a coin

Sizemore’s attorney, Mike Griffin, said there was a period of time when everything went well between the parties.

But things quickly changed between 2001 and 2003, when the accuser came forward.

“There are two sides to every coin and two sides to every story,” Griffin said.

Former Officer Byron Shane Burkart Indicted for Indecency with Child

A 41-year-old former Seguin Police Department officer has been indicted on charges of indecency with a child.

District Attorney Heather Hollub said grand jurors handed up a three-count indictment of Byron Shane Burkhart for the alleged indecency with a child under age 17 by sexual contact.

If proved at trial, the allegation is a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Since Burkhart has no prior criminal offenses, he could also get probation.

“It’s always troubling when those we entrust with protecting us commit criminal offenses,” Hollub said. “My office will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law.”

The Seguin Police Department brought the allegations against Burkhart forward after being informed by school officials and members of an outside law enforcement agency of an alleged inappropriate relationship between Burkhart and the girl believed to have taken place back in February.

Police officials asked for independent investigations by the Texas Rangers and by Hollub’s investigator, Frank Allenger. Burkhart is one of two Seguin police officers who came under a cloud of sexual suspicion last spring in separate, unrelated incidents. He resigned his position in late May.

The second officer, who quit his job in June after being placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into an allegation involving an adult woman, has not been charged with a criminal offense.

Kelso informed Burkhart of the allegations in a May 29 letter telling the officer he was contemplating firing him. That letter was released by the city of Seguin in response to a request filed by the Seguin Gazette Enterprise under the Texas Public Information Act.

“I am considering termination of your employment for conduct unbecoming an officer of the Seguin Police Department,” Kelso wrote. “Specifically, it is alleged by two local educators that you have engaged in an improper relationship with a minor child and that you are responsible for inappropriate communications (text messages) with that child.”

Kelso informed Burkhart of his expected behavior as a city employee.

“You are a public servant and as such, you are held to the highest standard of ethical conduct,” Kelso said. “Consistent with that level of public trust, the behavior alleged certainly would not be considered to be in the best interest of the City of Seguin and therefore would subject you to discipline up to and including termination.”

The indicted charges suggest there was more involved in the relationship than texts or e-mails.

Under section 21.11 of the Texas Penal Code, Indecency with a child by sexual contact is defined as, “ ... any touching by a person, including touching through clothing, of the anus, breast or any part of the genitals of a child ... .”

Kelso and city officials declined to discuss the allegations against Burkhart on Monday.

The important thing, Kelso said, is that the community not regard allegations against one officer as a reflection on the behavior of the rest of the 65 members of the SPD. As soon as the allegations were made, they were investigated at the behest of the police department, with its cooperation, Kelso said.

“We’ve been proactive in this situation. Any time an allegation is made against any police officer it will be investigated and action will be taken that is appropriate to the outcome of that investigation. The department should be judged by the way the allegation or incident is handled as opposed to the improprieties of an employee. It is difficult to monitor every moment of each officer both on and off duty, but we expect them to abide by the rules governing their employment.”

Burkhart was an eight-year veteran of the SPD. No pre-trial hearing dates had been set Monday.

The Seguin Police Department has cooperated openly and completely in the investigations, Hollub said.

Leslie Denise Nichols Charged with Sexual Abusing 9-year-old

A North Carolina-based civilian family readiness officer faces charges of sexually abusing a 9-year-old.

Leslie Denise Nichols, an employee with Marine Corps Community Services at Camp Lejeune, was arrested July 29 and charged with first-degree sex offense, five counts of indecent liberties with a minor, and five counts of child abuse by sexual act, according to warrants filed in the Onslow County, N.C., courthouse.

Nichols, 39, is the FRO of 2nd Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, according to an outgoing message on 2nd ANGLICO’s family readiness officer voice mail.

The alleged sexual abuse occurred between June 29 and July 29, according to the warrants. Nichols is in the Onslow County jail under a $300,000 bond, and is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 20.

Matthew Ryan Cummings Charged with Rape of 11-year-old

Authorities charged a Camp Lejeune Marine late Tuesday with having sex with an intoxicated preteen girl last year while the girl’s mother slept in another room.

Matthew Ryan Cummings, 20, of Barracks FC372 aboard base, was charged by the Onslow County Sheriff’s Department with first-degree statutory rape, first-degree statutory sexual offense, indecent liberties with a child, and crimes against nature.

Sheriff’s Sgt. John Getty was asked by a local mental facility to interview an 11-year-old girl beginning July 13. Getty discovered the child was having suicidal tendencies. Getty’s investigation revealed that the girl had been statutorily raped in late November 2008, according to a press release from the Sheriff’s Department.

“The statutory rape and other sex acts were performed on the 11-year-old child in her own home while the child’s mother slept in another bedroom of the home,” Sheriff Ed Brown said. “(Cummings) obtained beer from the refrigerator of the victim’s home where he and the victim both consumed the beer and became intoxicated.”

The girl’s family moved to Onslow County in November 2008 and the Cummings befriended the girl during the times the mother had left her with a neighbor across the street, according to Getty’s investigation.

The mother reported her concern for Cummings behavior toward her daughter to the Sheriff’s Department in February, according to incident reports on file at the Sheriff’s Department.

Cummings was interviewed at that time and was strongly advised to have no further contact with the girl.

“However the statutory rape had already occurred approximately four months before the mother came to the Sheriff’s Office in February 2009,” Brown said.

Cummings was arrested at Building 66 aboard Camp Lejeune by the Sheriff’s Department. His bond was set at $200,000 and he has a court appearance scheduled for today.

His rank and deployment history were not immediately available from base officials.

Nelvin Paz Wanted for Child Sexual Abuse

Police say a man brought a 14-year-old girl from Pennsylvania to northern Virginia for sex, and now officers need your help tracking him down.

Leesburg Police say 24-year-old Nelvin Paz, also known as Isai Paz, had met the girl before. And on Tuesday, they arranged to meet and travel to the D.C. area.

Her parents didn't know about the trip, and they reported the girl as a runaway.

The girl was found unharmed in a single-family home in Leesburg on Wednesday. Paz is now wanted for indecent liberties and child sexual abuse. He is described as a Hispanic man, 5-foot-7, 150 pounds with brown eyes, black hair and a large tattoo on his left shoulder.

Leesburg Police are asking anyone with information about his whereabouts to call 703-771-4500. Or if you want to remain anonymous, call 703-443-TIPS.

Tomas Gonzales Charged with Sexually Abusing 2 Relatives

A church pastor faces multiple felony charges in connection with allegations he sexually abused two female relatives.

Tomás Gonzáles, 61, of Mercedes, was arraigned Tuesday evening in Mercedes Municipal Court on two counts of indecency with a child and eight counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child.

"I committed the error," he said in Spanish during the arraignment. "Now I have to pay for it."

Gonzáles serves as pastor at Templo Nueva Vida in a colonia at the intersection of Lott Road and Dedri Drive in the Weslaco area.

Sgt. Hugo Ramos Jr. of the Mercedes Police Department said a 15-year-old female relative wrote a letter to her mother last week saying that the man had sexually abused her since she was about 5 years old. Eventually, the girl's 13-year-old sister came forward with similar accusations.

Gonzáles was called to the police station Monday night for questioning and provided a voluntary confession to the crimes, Ramos said. "We just called him and he turned himself in."

The pastor allegedly abused the two girls when they visited him at his home, the sergeant said. The sisters are currently receiving counseling.

Investigators said they are following leads that could result in more charges against the man.

"There could possibly be more victims," Ramos said, adding that no incidents have been reported at the pastor's church.

Residents near Templo Nueva Vida said a man in a white truck sometimes picks up children to take them to church services in the evenings, though they were unsure whether that man was Gonzáles.

"There have been rumors about (sexual abuse at) the churches nearby," Margarita Espinoza, 32, said in Spanish. "If one doesn't go with the children, they shouldn't let them go at all."

Across the street from Templo Nueva Vida, about a dozen people gathered to pray in a small, hot warehouse that is home to the Iglesia de Jesucristo - Salvación Eterna.

The group chanted hymns while someone softly strummed along with a guitar.

"I hadn't heard of anything," said Alex Carmona Jr., whose father is a pastor at Iglesia de Jesucristo. "But anytime something happens against children, it's nothing good."

The sound of the chorus hummed through the colonia while a young girl wandered through an abandoned structure in a diaper and several boys rode their bicycles down the gravel road.

"One thinks some people are incapable of doing anything wrong," Espinoza said in Spanish. "But you have to be careful."

Gonzáles is not a registered sex offender and has no prior criminal history, according to available public records.

He remained at the Hidalgo County Jail on Tuesday night in lieu of a $2 million bond. If found guilty of aggravated sexual assault, he could face up to life in prison and a possible fine of up to $10,000.

Bruce Unger Pleads Guilty to Assault on Child

Former Bryan teacher Bruce Unger agreed to a plea bargain Monday morning and was sentenced to 40 years in prison just minutes before a jury was expected to be selected for his trial on aggravated assault of a child charges.

He pleaded guilty to all charges he faced, which also included indecency with a child and bond jumping.

Opening statements were set to begin in the trial Tuesday morning.

Unger once taught fifth grade at Neal Elementary School in Bryan and received national accolades for creating and coaching a soccer team for at-risk youth.

He was arrested on two charges of indecency with a child by sexual contact in November 2006 after police said he fondled two boys.

In January 2007, he was arrested again and charged with three more counts of indecency and one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child after more people came forward with molestation accusations.

His trial first was scheduled for late 2007, but he failed to show up at a pretrial hearing. His father said at the time that he had taken his motorcycle to Colorado to clear his head.

Unger wasn’t heard from again until December 2008, when local officials, FBI agents and U.S. Marshals tracked him to a town outside Kiev, Ukraine. Authorities said he was living there under the adopted name Tylor McCoy and teaching English lessons.

He was arrested and extradited to Brazos County soon after he was located.

The 30-year-old will return to court Monday afternoon to hear statements from his victims.

___________________
Video & Picture: http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/48792387.html

Christopher Wenzlick Charged with Taking Indecent Liberties with Minor

Following a three-month investigation, a 23-year-old man has been charged with taking indecent liberties with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl.

Christopher Andrew Wenzlick, of the 500 block of Coral Court, was arrested when investigators served a search warrant on his home Friday, police wrote in a news release. He was charged with three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child and one count of using a computer system for crimes against children.

Police seized twelve computers along with confidential material that belonged to the Navy, the release says. Items that belonged to the Navy were turned over to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Wenzlick is a sailor stationed aboard the carrier Carl Vinson.

Newport News police received a call from police in Kenton, Kentucky in early March, the release says. The complaint was about a man using a home computer to chat with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. The man had sent inappropriate photos and attempted to solicit photographs of the girl. He had sexually explicit online chats with the girl.
_________________________

http://www.wlwt.com/news/19825724/detail.html

Former Major League Outfielder Mel Hall Convicted of Raping 12-year-old

Former major league outfielder Mel Hall was sentenced to 45 years in prison yesterday in Fort Worth, Texas, after being convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl and sexually abusing or inappropriately touching three girls.

Hall, 48, looked skyward and swayed back and forth as the verdict was read. One of his two daughters who testified on his behalf during the punishment phase sobbed as the reality of the sentence set in.

Jurors reached the verdict on the punishment after about an hour of deliberating. They took about 90 minutes Tuesday to convict Hall on three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two counts of indecency with a child. He must serve about 22 1/2 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole.

After the verdict was announced, prosecutor Kim D'Avignon read a brief statement on behalf of the 12-year-old victim and other of Hall's accusers.

"We believe that the verdict does on some level show that the jury understood," D'Avignon said. "They looked in these girls' eyes and said this is worth 40 years and we agree with them."

The defense had argued in the sentencing phase of the trial that Hall was a good man who mentored a lot of athletes and had a lot of good still to do.
_________________________
More Information:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-newswire18-2009jun18,0,7811386.story

Former Pastor William Brown Arrested for Sexual Assault

The former pastor of Bellmead First Baptist Church was indicted today multiple counts of sexual abuse of a child.

William Frank Brown, 45, was indicted on four counts of sexual assault of a child and four counts of indecency with a child.

remained in the McLennan County Jail late Wednesday, held in lieu of $200,000 bond.

Police said the case involved two victims. One of the children, who was 9 or 10 at the time, told a school counselor about the abuse, which began four years ago and continued for years, Waco police have said.

Francisco Trevino Guilty of Sexual Assault on Child

A jury on Wednesday found a 48-year-old man guilty of eight felony counts related to allegations he molested five girls.

Francisco Treviño was found guilty of six counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two count of indecency with a child. He was acquitted on three other counts.

Jurors deliberated more than three hours before reaching a decision.

Each indecency count is a second-degree felony punishable by as many as 20 years in prison. The aggravated sexual assault counts are first-degree felonies which carry sentences as long as life in prison. All the counts also each carry as much as $10,000 fines.

The trial’s punishment phase will begin at 8:30 a.m. today in 105th District Judge J. Manuel Bañales’ court.

Former Officer Paul Ewing Faces New Charges of Producing Child Porn

Federal prosecutors filed new charges against a former Portsmouth Police officer accused of taking indecent liberties with a minor.

Paul Alonzo Ewing now faces three federal counts of possessing child pornography, according to documents filed in Norfolk federal court on Friday.

Ewing already faced a handful of state charges, including five counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor and five counts of producing child pornography.

Ewing was a Portsmouth officer from November 2004 to his resignation in October 2008.

He was arrested in September and accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in 2007.

Read the federal document

More Information: http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/crime/local_wavy_ports_former_officer_rape_child_porn_20090615