A preliminary autopsy report reveals 5-year-old Sincear Kirven of Mexia died of blunt force trauma.
Arrest warrant affidavits state that the boy was beaten to death Sunday by his uncle, who struck the boy and his 3-year-old brother repeatedly with a belt.
Christopher Mack, 22, was arrested Monday in Limestone County, and is being held in jail there on charges of capital murder and aggravated assault in lieu of $1.5 million bail.
Andrea Shante Thomas, 24, the woman with whom Mack was living, also was arrested on those charges Monday, and is being held in the McLennan County Jail in lieu of $525,000 bail.
Sincear, his 4-year-old and 3-year-old brothers, and 7-year-old sister were staying with their uncle, who was visiting his girlfriend, Thomas, at her apartment on 1708 E. Crest Drive in Lacy-Lakeview, the affidavit states.
Marissa Gonzales, a spokeswoman with Child Protective Services, said the four children live in Mexia with their mother, Brandi Mack, and their great-grandmother.
After the beatings, CPS officials placed the three remaining children in foster care until a hearing is set to determine otherwise, Gonzales said.
According to Limestone County court records, Mack was convicted in March on a charge of abandoning/endangering a child and evading arrest. He was sentenced to probation, records show.
Just before midnight Sunday, Lacy-Lakeview police were dispatched to Providence Health Center in connection with the alleged beatings.
Mack had driven Sincear to the hospital, and told doctors that the boy collapsed in the apartment.
The affidavit states Sincear had “extensive visible injuries” including “bruises, abrasions and lacerations to his head, arms, front and back torso and legs.” The injured child was brought to the hospital by another family member, the affidavit states, and was said to have suffered similar injuries.
Police later learned from talking with witnesses that Mack had repeatedly beaten the boys with a belt. The affidavit states that Sincear was beaten until “he passed out and was not moving.”
According to the affidavits, Thomas was present at the time of the beatings, and did nothing to stop it, call the police or seek medical attention for the boys.
Medical staff told police that Sincear had been dead about an hour at the time when he was brought in by his uncle. The injured child has been treated for his injuries and released from the hospital, according to a news release issued today by the Lacy-Lakeview Police Department.
It is unclear why Mack, who is reportedly from Mexia, and his nephews were staying in Lacy-Lakeview. The news release states that Mack was watching the boys for the Mexia-based family.
An autopsy has been ordered on Sincear’s body.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Officer Mark Benton Arrested on Sexual Abuse Charges
Oregon State Police arrested an Athena police officer Monday on charges of sex crimes.
Athena Police Officer Mark Benton Ashcraft is in the Umatilla County Jail on charges of third-degree sodomy, second-degree sexual abuse and first-degree online sexual corruption of a child. The first two charges are Class C felonies in Oregon and the last is a Class B felony. Ashcraft has jail bonds totalling $22,500.
According to the Oregon Revised Statute, the charge of first-degree online sexual corruption means a defendant reasonably believes the victim to be under 16 years of age and "intentionally takes a substantial step toward physically meeting with or encountering the child. That step includes arranging a place and time to meet. The crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Dyann Swanson, Athena city recorder, said city officials are concerned about the matter, but it's also important to keep in mind Ashcraft is only a suspect at this time.
Ashcraft was a police officer in Pilot Rock for nine years before the smaller city of Athena hired him in December 2007. Swanson said while he was with Athena he had been a good employee.
"He came with a really great record," Swanson said.
Pilot Rock Mayor Virginia Carnes declined to comment on the case.
Lt. Greg Sherman with the Oregon State Police in Pendleton said Umatilla County District Attorney Dean Gushwa was handling all inquiries about the arrest.
____________________
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/cop_arraigned_on_sex_abuse_all.html
Athena Police Officer Mark Benton Ashcraft is in the Umatilla County Jail on charges of third-degree sodomy, second-degree sexual abuse and first-degree online sexual corruption of a child. The first two charges are Class C felonies in Oregon and the last is a Class B felony. Ashcraft has jail bonds totalling $22,500.
According to the Oregon Revised Statute, the charge of first-degree online sexual corruption means a defendant reasonably believes the victim to be under 16 years of age and "intentionally takes a substantial step toward physically meeting with or encountering the child. That step includes arranging a place and time to meet. The crime is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Dyann Swanson, Athena city recorder, said city officials are concerned about the matter, but it's also important to keep in mind Ashcraft is only a suspect at this time.
Ashcraft was a police officer in Pilot Rock for nine years before the smaller city of Athena hired him in December 2007. Swanson said while he was with Athena he had been a good employee.
"He came with a really great record," Swanson said.
Pilot Rock Mayor Virginia Carnes declined to comment on the case.
Lt. Greg Sherman with the Oregon State Police in Pendleton said Umatilla County District Attorney Dean Gushwa was handling all inquiries about the arrest.
____________________
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/cop_arraigned_on_sex_abuse_all.html
Russell Christie III Sentenced to 90 years for Distributing Child Porn
When Russell Christie III was convicted last November of moderating and posting images to website that distributed child pornography, he was facing a 30-year prison term.
But today, after listening to testimony from a woman who said she had been molested by the former Sussex County school bus driver for nearly a decade when she was a child, a federal judge in Newark tripled the sentence, ordering Christie to serve 90 years behind bars.
In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Harold Ackerman said he wanted to make sure Christie would never harm another child and also send a message to others who would try to sexually abuse or exploit a child.
Ackerman said he was mindful not only of the abuse the woman said she had endured, but also of the children depicted in the images Christie, 51, helped distribute around the world.
"The defendant's cheap thrill came at a considerable cost," Ackerman said. "The thousands of nameless children that appear in his images now strive to have a semblance of life."
Christie, who also worked at the Green Valley Beach Campground in Newton, was arrested in 2006 and charged with moderating a website that trafficked in child pornography. Prosecutors say the site had several hundred members worldwide.
He was convicted late last year and under federal sentencing guidelines, faced 30 years in prison.
That was until the woman, identified by prosecutors as "Victim 1," was allowed to testify today. Prosecutors maintained that that woman's testimony would establish a pattern of behavior that would warrant a life sentence for Christie.
The woman, now 28, said her encounters with Christie began when she was 9 and lived next to the campground. She said he would invite her to his home to play video games - invitations, she said, that at the time seemed innocent.
But the video game sessions soon turned to fondling, she said. By the time she was 12, Christie was plying her with alcohol and drugs in order to have sex with her and to take nude photographs of her, she said.
When her contact with him ended when she was 19, the woman said, she was heroin junkie who would travel to Newark and Paterson to buy drugs with money and transportation Christie provided in exchange for sex, she said.
"He turned me into a drug addict - a lot of hurt, a lot of pain," said the woman, who broke down several times on the witness stand. "It has destroyed any relationship that I could have with any man."
Ackerman overruled arguments by defense attorneys that Christie was never convicted for having sex with an underage victim, but rather for possessing and distributing child pornography, and making 2,500 posts to the website between October 2005 and July 2006. The posts, authorities said, depicted images and stories of children engaged in sexual acts with adults.
The judge said Christie was a unique convict, who was not just a mere voyeur of downloadable images, but also acted out the sexual deviance he was viewing.
"This court has a solemn duty, not only in dealing fairly with Mr. Christie, but in dealing fairly with the testimony of a young woman who obviously went through things that she'd rather forget about," Ackerman said, glaring at Christie and pointing his finger at him. "I will not be blind to the severe misconduct that appears before me today."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Vartan said that without the woman's testimony, Christie would have been sentenced to a maximum of 30 years. Her story, Vartan said, established for the court a pattern of sexual abuse and exploitation against a minor that the judge was able to consider when imposing sentence.
Under cross-examination by defense attorney Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, the woman admitted she never told anyone about the alleged abuse. Gauli-Rufo also tried to strike at her credibility based on her history of drug use, criminal record, a teenage pregnancy (not by Christie) and that she had not reported the abuse after Christie was charged.
Vartan said Christie was the root cause of the woman's behavior, and that he admitted to authorities that he had had sexual contact with the victim.
Christie was one of 22 people in 20 states arrested in July 2006 as part of an FBI child pornography sweep called "Project Safe Childhood."
Thousands of pornographic images involving children were found on his computer and on hundreds of digital CDs that were confiscated by authorities, Vartan said.
None of the images was of the woman who testified today. She said Christie began photographing her when she was 12, in various states of undress. The more than 1,000 images of her, however, were taken with a Polaroid camera. Despite a painstakingly thorough search, none of the images were recovered, Vartan said.
Before he was sentenced, Christie asked Ackerman for a new trial, contending that his constitutional rights had been violated. The motion was denied.
But today, after listening to testimony from a woman who said she had been molested by the former Sussex County school bus driver for nearly a decade when she was a child, a federal judge in Newark tripled the sentence, ordering Christie to serve 90 years behind bars.
In imposing the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Harold Ackerman said he wanted to make sure Christie would never harm another child and also send a message to others who would try to sexually abuse or exploit a child.
Ackerman said he was mindful not only of the abuse the woman said she had endured, but also of the children depicted in the images Christie, 51, helped distribute around the world.
"The defendant's cheap thrill came at a considerable cost," Ackerman said. "The thousands of nameless children that appear in his images now strive to have a semblance of life."
Christie, who also worked at the Green Valley Beach Campground in Newton, was arrested in 2006 and charged with moderating a website that trafficked in child pornography. Prosecutors say the site had several hundred members worldwide.
He was convicted late last year and under federal sentencing guidelines, faced 30 years in prison.
That was until the woman, identified by prosecutors as "Victim 1," was allowed to testify today. Prosecutors maintained that that woman's testimony would establish a pattern of behavior that would warrant a life sentence for Christie.
The woman, now 28, said her encounters with Christie began when she was 9 and lived next to the campground. She said he would invite her to his home to play video games - invitations, she said, that at the time seemed innocent.
But the video game sessions soon turned to fondling, she said. By the time she was 12, Christie was plying her with alcohol and drugs in order to have sex with her and to take nude photographs of her, she said.
When her contact with him ended when she was 19, the woman said, she was heroin junkie who would travel to Newark and Paterson to buy drugs with money and transportation Christie provided in exchange for sex, she said.
"He turned me into a drug addict - a lot of hurt, a lot of pain," said the woman, who broke down several times on the witness stand. "It has destroyed any relationship that I could have with any man."
Ackerman overruled arguments by defense attorneys that Christie was never convicted for having sex with an underage victim, but rather for possessing and distributing child pornography, and making 2,500 posts to the website between October 2005 and July 2006. The posts, authorities said, depicted images and stories of children engaged in sexual acts with adults.
The judge said Christie was a unique convict, who was not just a mere voyeur of downloadable images, but also acted out the sexual deviance he was viewing.
"This court has a solemn duty, not only in dealing fairly with Mr. Christie, but in dealing fairly with the testimony of a young woman who obviously went through things that she'd rather forget about," Ackerman said, glaring at Christie and pointing his finger at him. "I will not be blind to the severe misconduct that appears before me today."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Vartan said that without the woman's testimony, Christie would have been sentenced to a maximum of 30 years. Her story, Vartan said, established for the court a pattern of sexual abuse and exploitation against a minor that the judge was able to consider when imposing sentence.
Under cross-examination by defense attorney Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, the woman admitted she never told anyone about the alleged abuse. Gauli-Rufo also tried to strike at her credibility based on her history of drug use, criminal record, a teenage pregnancy (not by Christie) and that she had not reported the abuse after Christie was charged.
Vartan said Christie was the root cause of the woman's behavior, and that he admitted to authorities that he had had sexual contact with the victim.
Christie was one of 22 people in 20 states arrested in July 2006 as part of an FBI child pornography sweep called "Project Safe Childhood."
Thousands of pornographic images involving children were found on his computer and on hundreds of digital CDs that were confiscated by authorities, Vartan said.
None of the images was of the woman who testified today. She said Christie began photographing her when she was 12, in various states of undress. The more than 1,000 images of her, however, were taken with a Polaroid camera. Despite a painstakingly thorough search, none of the images were recovered, Vartan said.
Before he was sentenced, Christie asked Ackerman for a new trial, contending that his constitutional rights had been violated. The motion was denied.
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.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Andrew Garcia Wanted for Possession of Child Porn
Crime Stoppers of Houston is asking for help from the public to find a young man who was convicted as a teen with possessing child pornography and has since violated his probation.
Andrew Garcia, 20, was sentenced to 10 years of probation following his 2006 conviction. He was accused of carrying photos of young boys in explicit sexual poses on his cell phone.
A warrant was issued for Garcia's arrest after he violated his probation.
Crime Stoppers is willing to pay up to $5,000 for information provided to Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477 or submitted online to http://www.crime-stoppers.org/ that leads to the arrest of Andrew Garcia. Information may also be submitted by text message by typing TIP610 before the information and then sending the text message to 274637. Anyone who contacts Crime Stoppers will remain anonymous.
Christopher Mack & Andrea Thomas Charged with Murder & Assault
Lacy Lakeview police are investigating the murder of a young child.
Police Chief Dennis Stapleton said police learned a child had been injured and transported to Providence Hospital by personal vehicle.
Police said the child, who was under 10 years old, was pronounced dead in the emergency room.
Police say they arrested 22-year-old Christopher Mack and 24-year-old Andrea Thomas. Both have been charged with capital murder and aggravated assault.
Police say another child that lived with the two at an apartment complex in the 1700 block of East Crest Drive received non-life threatening injuries.
Police say Child Protective Services is ensuring the care of other children.
Police say the case remains under investigation.
___________________
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/48814097.html
Police Chief Dennis Stapleton said police learned a child had been injured and transported to Providence Hospital by personal vehicle.
Police said the child, who was under 10 years old, was pronounced dead in the emergency room.
Police say they arrested 22-year-old Christopher Mack and 24-year-old Andrea Thomas. Both have been charged with capital murder and aggravated assault.
Police say another child that lived with the two at an apartment complex in the 1700 block of East Crest Drive received non-life threatening injuries.
Police say Child Protective Services is ensuring the care of other children.
Police say the case remains under investigation.
___________________
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/48814097.html
Roger Rouland Charged with 4 Counts of Child Porn
A 50-year-old former Baylor University lecturer is in the McLennan County Jail on four counts of possession of child pornography found on his computer.
According to Baylor’s Web site, Roger Rouland was a lecturer in the English department and specialized in renaissance literature.
Jill Scoggins, a Baylor University spokeswoman, said Rowland taught up until the end of the spring semester, however heis not currently employed with the university.
Rouland was picked up early today on an arrest warrant affidavit filed by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, according to arrest warrant affidavits.
The affidavits state that the pictures found on Rouland’s computer depict girls under the age of 18 exposing themselves and/or engaging in sexual conduct.
Rouland is being held in lieu of a total of $60,000 bail, a jail spokeswoman said.
_______________
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/48800852.html
Bob Bopp Arrested for Sexual Assault
The latest photo of Bob Bopp, the high school hall of fame hockey coach who led Grosse Pointe South to a state championship in 2007, isn't a publicity snapshot or an image captured moments after victory.
It's a blurry mug shot, taken by law enforcement officials after Bopp was booked on suspicion of sexual assault, charges that could land him in jail for the rest of his life.
Bopp, 53, and James McBee, 20, of Highland Township were being held Monday without bond on several felony charges, including raping a 16-year-old Farmington Hills boy in 2007. The men are accused of giving the teen alcohol, showing him pornographic pictures and sexually assaulting him.
Law enforcement officials throughout the region fear there could be others alleging abuse.
Meanwhile on Monday, the Grosse Pointe school district posted a vacancy for the job of Grosse Pointe South varsity hockey coach on its Web site.
Bopp's attorney, Southfield-based Christopher Andreoff, said his client is holding up, but he declined to discuss specifics of the case because he is waiting to see more evidence.
"He's obviously very upset by the charges," Andreoff said of Bopp. "It's very stressful. I told him to have as much patience as he can until we see how this works out."
During a raid of Bopp's home June 16, authorities said they confiscated pornographic images, including videos believed to involve kids. Authorities are now working to identify those in the pictures and on the tapes.
The raid was conducted by federal agents along with officers from the Farmington Hills and Taylor police departments.
Maria Miller, a Wayne County assistant prosecutor, on Monday said: "We would urge anyone with information that may be helpful to the investigation of defendants Bopp and McBee to call their local police."
Parents and team members painted a paradoxical picture of a man fiercely dedicated to his team but also secretive about his personal life.
He was aloof when parents approached him, often avoiding their gaze, even when they came to congratulate him on a good game, one parent said.
'The kids liked him'
It's a blurry mug shot, taken by law enforcement officials after Bopp was booked on suspicion of sexual assault, charges that could land him in jail for the rest of his life.
Bopp, 53, and James McBee, 20, of Highland Township were being held Monday without bond on several felony charges, including raping a 16-year-old Farmington Hills boy in 2007. The men are accused of giving the teen alcohol, showing him pornographic pictures and sexually assaulting him.
Law enforcement officials throughout the region fear there could be others alleging abuse.
Meanwhile on Monday, the Grosse Pointe school district posted a vacancy for the job of Grosse Pointe South varsity hockey coach on its Web site.
Bopp's attorney, Southfield-based Christopher Andreoff, said his client is holding up, but he declined to discuss specifics of the case because he is waiting to see more evidence.
"He's obviously very upset by the charges," Andreoff said of Bopp. "It's very stressful. I told him to have as much patience as he can until we see how this works out."
During a raid of Bopp's home June 16, authorities said they confiscated pornographic images, including videos believed to involve kids. Authorities are now working to identify those in the pictures and on the tapes.
The raid was conducted by federal agents along with officers from the Farmington Hills and Taylor police departments.
Maria Miller, a Wayne County assistant prosecutor, on Monday said: "We would urge anyone with information that may be helpful to the investigation of defendants Bopp and McBee to call their local police."
Parents and team members painted a paradoxical picture of a man fiercely dedicated to his team but also secretive about his personal life.
He was aloof when parents approached him, often avoiding their gaze, even when they came to congratulate him on a good game, one parent said.
'The kids liked him'
"He was very standoffish with parents," said a mother of one team member, who declined to be identified. "He was very hard to get to know, but the kids liked him."
Bryan Sullivan, president of the Michigan Metro High School Hockey League, said Bopp was well-respected and was always advocating for his players to other coaches and nominating them for awards.
Sullivan said several coaches in the league felt a collective guilt for failing to see any warning signs.
"We're all in this for the kids. You don't want to see anything like this happen," said Sullivan, who has known Bopp as a coach for 25 years.
Dan Barry, who took over as president of the Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association in April 2008, said he was stunned by the allegations.
Barry, the head coach at Warren De La Salle, said he has known Bopp for 16 years.
"He always got the best out of his players," Barry said. "He kept them motivated, and the kids always seemed to like him."
Bopp's preliminary exam is set for June 29.
Meanwhile, Taylor Police Cmdr. Don Helvey said authorities are "bracing for the possibility of other victims."
"That's where we'll do our follow-up -- it's basically waiting to see if anything else comes up from other cases."
Grosse Pointe Schools officials did not return calls Monday to The Detroit News.
'Red flags were ignored'
At a board meeting Monday night, parent Mike Shields told officials his son played on the hockey team for about three years but quit before the end of his senior year because of problems with the coach.
"Red flags were ignored," Shields told the board during the public comments portion of the meeting.
"This issue runs deeper than just the coach."
Bopp started coaching Grosse Pointe South in 1992, amassing a 241-120-12 record before winning the Division II state championship in 2007.
Video: 2007 interview with hockey coach Bob Bopp
____________________________
Tony Slone Charged with Sexually Abused Stepdaughters
A long-haul truck driver pleaded not guilty Monday to charges he sexually abused his teenage stepdaughters and fathered one girl's baby.
Tony Slone, 43, entered the plea in Superior Court in Victorville, said Susan Mickey, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County district attorney's office.
Slone was charged with sexually abusing his now 13- and 16-year old stepdaughters over the last four years. His wife was charged with child abuse for allegedly letting her elder daughter continue to have contact with Slone after he fathered her 13-month-old child.
Tony Slone was arrested June 4 in Chester, N.Y., where he had traveled for work, and was extradited to California on Sunday. He is a registered sex offender and previously served an eight year-prison sentence for lewd acts with a child.
_______________
http://www.kswt.com/Global/story.asp?S=10576092&nav=menu613_2_6
Prosecutors say they learned of the abuse when a high school student reported reading sexual text messages on her friend's cell phone from her friend's stepfather.
Mickey said an attorney from the conflict panel was appointed for Slone. No one at the panel's offices was immediately available to comment. Slone's next court date is June 30.
Anita Slone, 47, reached a plea deal with prosecutors last week. She pleaded guilty in exchange for no more than 180 days in county jail and five years probation, said Kathleen DiDonato, a deputy district attorney.
DiDonato said the probation would help protect the daughters until they are adults. Anita Slone is scheduled to be sentenced in July.
Tony Slone, 43, entered the plea in Superior Court in Victorville, said Susan Mickey, a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County district attorney's office.
Slone was charged with sexually abusing his now 13- and 16-year old stepdaughters over the last four years. His wife was charged with child abuse for allegedly letting her elder daughter continue to have contact with Slone after he fathered her 13-month-old child.
Tony Slone was arrested June 4 in Chester, N.Y., where he had traveled for work, and was extradited to California on Sunday. He is a registered sex offender and previously served an eight year-prison sentence for lewd acts with a child.
_______________
http://www.kswt.com/Global/story.asp?S=10576092&nav=menu613_2_6
Prosecutors say they learned of the abuse when a high school student reported reading sexual text messages on her friend's cell phone from her friend's stepfather.
Mickey said an attorney from the conflict panel was appointed for Slone. No one at the panel's offices was immediately available to comment. Slone's next court date is June 30.
Anita Slone, 47, reached a plea deal with prosecutors last week. She pleaded guilty in exchange for no more than 180 days in county jail and five years probation, said Kathleen DiDonato, a deputy district attorney.
DiDonato said the probation would help protect the daughters until they are adults. Anita Slone is scheduled to be sentenced in July.
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
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.
_________________________
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.
_________________________
17 Arrested for Sexually Exploiting Children
It's a crime that victimizes children and it happens thousands of times a day with the click of a button. We first told you about this story last week when police raided a house in Monument. Now police are up to 17 arrests.
Investigators say they're all men who now face felony charges of sexually exploiting children. "People have a tendency to think it's just a video, it's just a picture," says Sgt. Bill Dehart with the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit at the Colorado Springs Police Department, "the reality is that's a child being abused."
In a week's time, police executed several search warrants at homes across southern Colorado. "We're actually doing onsite forensic examinations, recovering databases," says Dehart of what officers are collecting. It's all part of an extensive investigation called Operation Peerless Summer, referencing the peer-to-peer online networks where people are trading child porn.
"If you're sharing those images, those videos on their computer, anyone can find them," says Dehart. Investigators say the ultimate goal is to put a stop to the production of child porn. They've found no evidence yet of children being abused locally.
"We're talking about protecting children," Dehart says. Investigators say they expect additional arrests and say people who commit Internet child porn crimes could be anywhere. Investigators say telling people the crime is happening is part of the battle to stop it.
"The word is getting out," says Dehart, "we're talking about people actively trading child pornography and it's not something people should do." But people are doing and after so many arrests, officers say the crime crosses geographical and socioeconomic boundaries.
"There is no profile where this person is the one, we need to look at," Dehart says. Investigators say they know where to look and how to find out who's trading child pornography online. They say you should be just as aware of what's arriving on your computer.
"You suspect somebody has these images on a computer, it's the old adage, you'll know it when you see it," says Dehart. Investigators say many of the offenders have several hundred images on their hard drives. "You're looking at the memorialization of abuse and it's illegal to possess," says Dehart of online child porn.
Investigators say it's important to talk with your kids about what's appropriate and what's not online to make sure your children don't become victims.
____________________
http://www.koaa.com/aaaa_top_stories/x1974617053/Inside-a-child-porn-bust
Investigators say they're all men who now face felony charges of sexually exploiting children. "People have a tendency to think it's just a video, it's just a picture," says Sgt. Bill Dehart with the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit at the Colorado Springs Police Department, "the reality is that's a child being abused."
In a week's time, police executed several search warrants at homes across southern Colorado. "We're actually doing onsite forensic examinations, recovering databases," says Dehart of what officers are collecting. It's all part of an extensive investigation called Operation Peerless Summer, referencing the peer-to-peer online networks where people are trading child porn.
"If you're sharing those images, those videos on their computer, anyone can find them," says Dehart. Investigators say the ultimate goal is to put a stop to the production of child porn. They've found no evidence yet of children being abused locally.
"We're talking about protecting children," Dehart says. Investigators say they expect additional arrests and say people who commit Internet child porn crimes could be anywhere. Investigators say telling people the crime is happening is part of the battle to stop it.
"The word is getting out," says Dehart, "we're talking about people actively trading child pornography and it's not something people should do." But people are doing and after so many arrests, officers say the crime crosses geographical and socioeconomic boundaries.
"There is no profile where this person is the one, we need to look at," Dehart says. Investigators say they know where to look and how to find out who's trading child pornography online. They say you should be just as aware of what's arriving on your computer.
"You suspect somebody has these images on a computer, it's the old adage, you'll know it when you see it," says Dehart. Investigators say many of the offenders have several hundred images on their hard drives. "You're looking at the memorialization of abuse and it's illegal to possess," says Dehart of online child porn.
Investigators say it's important to talk with your kids about what's appropriate and what's not online to make sure your children don't become victims.
____________________
http://www.koaa.com/aaaa_top_stories/x1974617053/Inside-a-child-porn-bust
Sengkeo Phanaphay Charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse
A Sioux City man faces sexual abuse and child pornography charges. 47-year-old Sengkeo Phanaphay is charged with aggravated sexual abuse, production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. He allegedly crossed a state line with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a child. The indictment also alleges he planned to produce child pornography of that act. If convicted he faces life in prison.
____________________
More Information: http://iowaindependent.com/16537/sioux-city-man-arrested-for-child-porn-sexual-abuse
____________________
More Information: http://iowaindependent.com/16537/sioux-city-man-arrested-for-child-porn-sexual-abuse
Art Arnold Weller Charged with Exchanging Child Porn
An Ocean Shores restaurant cook who got deferred prosecution on a child molesting charge 25 years ago was sentenced Monday to five years in prison for receiving child pornography.
According to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, 49-year-old Art Arnold Weller came to the attention of FBI agents investigating the exchange of child pornography through peer-to-peer file-sharing technology.
Agents wrote that they found 2,967 pornographic still images and 301 videos on his computer in January 2008, many showing children younger than age 12.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Dion writes that while Weller was not accused of child molesting after the case a quarter-century ago, the pornography episode shows " he has failed to get his demons under control."
According to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, 49-year-old Art Arnold Weller came to the attention of FBI agents investigating the exchange of child pornography through peer-to-peer file-sharing technology.
Agents wrote that they found 2,967 pornographic still images and 301 videos on his computer in January 2008, many showing children younger than age 12.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Dion writes that while Weller was not accused of child molesting after the case a quarter-century ago, the pornography episode shows " he has failed to get his demons under control."
Michael Lisbon Charged with Sexually Assaulting Girl
A Somerset County man being questioned Friday during the investigation of the rape and sexual assault of a child in 2006 was also charged with drug violations after state police said they found he was in possession of cocaine and marijuana, state police said.
Michael Eugene Lisbon, 28, of Jennerstown, was charged yesterday in the sexual assault of a girl who was 10 at the time of the incident. He was jailed in the Somerset County Jail on $50,000 bond in that case, which is still under investigation, police said.
__________________
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09171/978872-100.stm
Michael Eugene Lisbon, 28, of Jennerstown, was charged yesterday in the sexual assault of a girl who was 10 at the time of the incident. He was jailed in the Somerset County Jail on $50,000 bond in that case, which is still under investigation, police said.
__________________
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09171/978872-100.stm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)