Corey Feldman, a victim of childhood sexual abuse, is getting ready to name names
Long before a tidal wave of women came forward with allegations against Harvey Weinstein, Corey Feldman was sounding the alarm about Hollywood sex abuse. In his 2013 memoir “Coreyography,” he detailed how, when he and his friend and co-star Corey Haim were the biggest child stars of the 1980s, they were allegedly sexually assaulted by men in the industry. According to Feldman, Haim was raped when he was 11.
The “Lost Boys” star never revealed the names of the men responsible, however, and since the dam broke on the Weinstein story, the actor-turned-musician has come under tremendous pressure on social media to expose the guilty parties.
He’s listened to the pleading, and he’s ready to come forward – but not quite yet. In an emotional video to social media he explained what he plans to do, and described how his physical safety is in danger because of this plan.
It will be the “most honest and true depiction of child abuse ever portrayed,” he said. He plans to direct, produce and self-distribute it – “with your donations.” He started an Indiegogo campaign for $10 million that will be used for a legal team and security for him and his family, he said, plus funds to create the film.
“Right off the bat I can name six names,” Feldman promised, “one of them who’s still very powerful today.” He also said he can show a link between pedophilia and one of the major studios.
He’s hoping to bring down a pedophile ring with the movie, not to mention revolutionize the film industry, making it safer for child actors.
In the meantime, he’s concerned for his own safety. His band’s tour bus was pulled over for speeding Saturday night and, after police officers detected marijuana, he and his crew were taken to a police station where they were charged with a misdemeanor for marijuana possession. The next day, Feldman addressed reports of his arrest on Twitter. He explained that he and his crew simply paid a fine and that was that. But he also wrote that he found “the timing of all this ironic,” considering it came on the heels of his announcement on social media that he was working on a plan to “shed some light on” Hollywood predators.
Since then, he also claims he was nearly killed by two trucks in a crosswalk, and that several band members quit, fearing for their safety.
“It’s not easy,” he said in the video. “I’ve been degraded at great levels. Rumors have been told, stories have been made up about me … all because they fear what I know.”
“Justice will be served,” he promised. “Because this is about good and evil.”
Second martial arts employee convicted on
sex abuse charges in Maryland
Tahja Cropper
WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. - A woman is facing the next three decades in prison, after she was convicted for her involvement in a 2016 child sex abuse case (3rd story on link) on Wednesday afternoon, in Salisbury.
In day two of Leah Wright's trial, on Wednesday, 47ABC has learned that Wright was found to be guilty of three out of 22 charges including sex abuse of a minor, in Wicomico County. Wright reportedly could be facing 30 years in prison. The charges stem from an incident that happened at Mitchell's Martial Arts in 2016.
47ABC will have more on the trial and verdict in the NewsHour.
Las Vegas killer's brother arrested over
'child abuse images'
Bruce Paddock faces 19 counts of sexual exploitation of a child that allegedly occurred before his sibling killed 58 people
By Philip Whiteside, News Reporter
The brother of the man who shot and killed 58 people in Las Vegas has been arrested on suspicion of possessing child abuse images.
Bruce Paddock was held early on Wednesday in Los Angeles, police said.
The alleged offence is said to have occurred before the shootings by Stephen Paddock on 1 October at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in the Nevada city.
Police say they may never know why Stephen Paddock carried out a massacre
The allegations are understood to involve "one count of possession of child or youth pornography" and "19 counts of sexual exploitation of a child".
The complaint alleges Bruce Douglas Paddock possessed more than 600 images of child abuse between 1 January and 30 August 2014.
The suspect was expected to be formally charged on Thursday.
The Paddock brothers' father Benjamin Hoskins Paddock
was a bank robber
He is not considered to have been involved in the Las Vegas shooting, but police said they spoke to Stephen Paddock's entire "family tree" following the massacre.
Another brother, Eric Paddock, (left) spoke to media in the aftermath of the shooting but Bruce Paddock did not.
Bruce Paddock reportedly had a long criminal history and over the years has been charged with various crimes including arson and burglary, AFP reported.
The brothers' father was also on the FBI's most wanted list in the late 1960s after escaping from prison where he served time for bank robbery.
Stephen Paddock opened fire on festival goers with semi-automatic weapons that were adapted to fire continuously from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay casino-hotel tower.
It was the deadliest massacre in modern American history.
More than 500 were injured, but Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo has conceded "we may never know" why the Mandalay Bay killer decided to carry out the devastating attack, before killing himself.
Lawsuit filed on allegations of sexual abuse
from a former Cowiche priest
by Marie Schurk
COWICHE, Wash. - A new child sex abuse lawsuit is filed in Yakima County Superior Court on allegations that a Reverend sexually abused a parishioner when they were a minor.
The former St. Juan San Diego parishioner filed a civil lawsuit against the Diocese of Yakima that claims Reverend Gustavo Gomez Santos abused him, according to an Oct. 25 news release.
The plaintiff said Father Santos sexually abused him at the parish rectory.
The lawsuit claims the Diocese of Yakima knew or should have known about the danger the priest posed to children but did not take steps necessary to remove him from his position.
Father Santos was permanently removed from his position as of May 2017.
June 12, 2017...
Reverend Gustavo Gómez Santos, who was most recently the pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, was permanently removed from all public ministry, according to a June 12 news release from the Yakima Diocese.
Gómez Santos, 51, was placed on leave May 5 after Yakima County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) detectives shared an interview from a 21-year-old former Mattawa resident with the Diocese.
The victim reported he was fondled by the priest while he was serving as pastor at St. Juan Diego Parish in Cowiche roughly five years ago.
The Diocese began an investigation after YCSO (Yakima County Sheriff's Office) officials determined the incident could not be prosecuted due to the statute of limitations, reports said.
You have less than 5 years to report a child sex crime in Washington State? Are you serious? That is outright evil and must be addressed immediately!
Reports said the priest denied the allegations during the investigation but admitted to other violations including letting minors stay overnight alone in his residence in several parishes, serving alcohol to minors, messaging minors and giving them expensive gifts, including trips to Disneyland.
Reports were made by a friend of the victim confirming the abuse was disclosed to him when they were teens and reports from other men said they were the recipients of gifts, massages and other inappropriate attention from the priest when they were teens.
The victim has been receiving counseling through the university he is attending, and will meet with diocesan officials to assure support from the Church.
Grand jury indicts former Salem city worker in
child pornography case
By Julie Manganis
SALEM — A grand jury on Wednesday indicted a former city of Salem worker on charges that now include conspiring with a New Hampshire man to trade sexual access to two young girls.
David Holland, 39, of 12 Rawlins St., Salem, was arrested last month following an investigation by Salem and Nashua, N.H., police into child pornography images that were allegedly being traded by the two men on their phones.
Holland, who allegedly suggested in one text exchange with the New Hampshire man, Chad Francisco, that if their planned exchange did not pan out, they would look for "a lonely little girl in a park," is being held without bail.
A prosecutor called him an "ongoing, uncontrollable danger" to girls.
One of the girls was an 18-month-old baby. The other girl, to whom Holland was allegedly seeking access, was 8.
The indictments against Holland now charge him with posing or exhibiting a child in a state of nudity, possession and dissemination of child pornography, two counts of conspiracy, and assault with a dangerous weapon.
That last count stems from a knifepoint standoff with Salem Detective Thomas Brennan, who had gone to the home along with Detective Sgt. Kristian Hanson and a Nashua police detective with a search warrant for Holland's phone.
The indictments move the case from Salem District Court, where Holland had been scheduled to appear on Friday for a hearing, to Salem Superior Court, where he'll face a new arraignment.
Francisco, 28, of Nashua, was arrested earlier this month on charges that include possession, distribution and manufacturing child sexual abuse images, as well as a charge of aggravated sexual abuse. He's being held in the Hillsborough County Jail.
Texas Youth Baseball Coach Arrested For
Sex Abuse Of A Child
Kaufman County (CBS 11) – The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating allegations of child sexual abuse.
An individual reported that his former baseball coach, Edward Mann had sexually abused him over the span of a couple of years while playing youth baseball in Able Springs in Kaufman county.
Kaufman County Investigators searched Mann’s home and the Ables Springs Fire Department and seized electronics and other digital media. Mann was arrested at his home for sex abuse of child and is currently in custody at the Kaufman County Jail on $25,000 bond.
Edward Mann is also the Fire Chief of the Ables Springs Volunteer Fire Department and has also been a youth league baseball coach in Terrell and a volunteer Athletic Trainer with Terrell High School. Investigators are working to identify any other possible victims or those who may have information that could help in this investigation.
Anyone with information is encouraged to the Kaufman County Sherriff’s Department at 972-932-9735 or a tip may be submitted to Kaufman County Crime Stoppers: (877) TIPS-KCC (847-7522) or http://www.kaufmancountycrimestoppers.org
NH man says he ‘knew better’ as he was sentenced
to prison for sexual assault
By ALYSSA DANDREA
TILTON NH
A Tilton man accused of sexual assault took a plea deal Wednesday saying he was not going to put his teenage victim through the difficulties of a trial.
“I screwed up,” Charles Beckley, 54, told a judge Wednesday. “People put trust in me and that trust was broken. I knew better.”
Beckley was sentenced in Belknap County Superior Court in Laconia to 18 to 36 years in state prison for repeatedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old and photographing the abuse. He also faces additional suspended prison time. As part of the plea deal, Beckley is eligible to have his minimum sentence reduced by four years upon successful completion of the prison’s sex offender treatment program.
However, the four-year reduction is not a guarantee, said Superior Court Chief Justice Tina Nadeau, who presided over the hearing. She explained that the state’s Department of Corrections will determine when it can accommodate Beckley for participation in the sex offender program. Beckley is also eligible to receive additional time off his minimum sentence if he completes other rehabilitative and educational programs.
He pleaded guilty (7th story on link) Wednesday to a total of eight charges: one count of aggravated felonious sexual assault, three counts of misdemeanor sexual assault, and two counts each of manufacture of child sexual abuse images and felonious sexual assault. He must register as a sex offender for life and is prohibited from having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16.
Beckley, a father of two sons, was previously employed as the transfer station manager in Canterbury. He has no prior criminal record.
Tilton police began investigating Beckley in May after a woman reported that he had confided in her about the sexual abuse of the 13-year-old, according to an affidavit prepared by Detective Bryan Kydd-Keeler. As part of that investigation, police spoke with other young women known to Beckley, including a teenager who told authorities that Beckley had inappropriately touched her on several occasions in late 2016.
A grand jury indicted Beckley this summer on several sexual assault charges involving the 13-year-old. The girl disclosed during a forensic interview a pattern of sexual abuse that she said began in February and lasted several months, according to authorities.
Detectives executed a search warrant of Beckley’s Grange Road apartment in May and found sexually explicit photographs of the girl, Assistant Belknap County Attorney Melinda Siranian told the court Wednesday.
The victim and her family were present for Beckley’s sentencing but chose not to speak. Siranian said she’d had extensive conversations with the girl, who was in favor of the pretrial resolution.
“I’m very impressed with the resiliency of both of these young ladies,” Siranian said of the 13-year-old and the other teenager who disclosed.
Nadeau echoed that sentiment prior to handing down Beckley’s prison sentence.
“I do want to say to the victims that you have amazing courage and amazing strength and amazing character, so don't ever forget that,” she said. “This is the beginning of the hard work, I'm sure, but I want to give you credit because I think what you did is really hard."
Accused Ore. child sexual predator pleads not guilty
after being caught in China
by KATU Staff
HILLSBORO, Ore. – The 41-year-old who fled to China after he was indicted on child sex abuse charges made his first court appearance in the case on Wednesday afternoon.
U.S. Marshals say they found Toby Mendenhall in Shanghai. He was wanted in Washington County for multiple sex crimes against children, investigators said.
The Washington County Sheriff's Office says they are now aware of a fourth possible victim who came forward after Mendenhall's capture.
He is being held on $2.5 million bail for two counts of 1st-degree sodomy and eight counts of 1st-degree sexual abuse.
The investigation
Investigators said Mendenhall abused the first of three girls in the current case in 2009. They say the alleged abuse continued through 2012. At least one of the victims was younger than twelve at the time.
“Those victims are known to him but as we've been doing this investigation we've learned that he has also made attempts to reach out to other people who are not known to him,” said Washington County Sheriff’s Detective Mark Povolny. “Our concern is that he has been doing this possibly for quite some time.”
Detectives started their investigation last June, but by the time a grand jury delivered a secret indictment against Mendenhall, he'd traveled to China. Chinese authorities sent Mendenhall back to the U.S.
Mendenhall pleaded not guilty to the charges this afternoon.
Previous incident
Kim Lovely tells KATU News her daughter was targeted by Mendenhall back in 2005 in Cowlitz County.
She and another mother went to a judge to grant them anti-harassment orders against Mendenhall. The anti-stalking order was in place for a decade.
“He was chatting up girls that were definitely younger than him. And making up stuff about his own [age] - I mean he didn't say he was thirty-something or twenties, in his late twenties. He said he was eighteen or seventeen, and he was trying to talk her into getting into the car with him,” said Lovely.
She hopes others with information about Mendenhall come forward. The 2005 incident involving Lovely’s daughter never led to criminal charges against Mendenhall. She says detectives in the current case have been in touch with her as part of their investigation.
Utah bounce-house company owner pleads
guilty in sex abuse case
Associated Press
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The owner of a Utah bounce-house business has agreed to a plea deal in a sex abuse case.
Court documents show Bryce Johnson of Heber City pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted aggravated sexual abuse of a child and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Another 20 counts filed in two cases (6th story on link) were dismissed in exchange for the guilty pleas on Oct. 18.
The 33-year-old man was accused of abusing children hired to help in with his business, Fun Stuff LLC, and possessing child pornography.
He is set to be sentenced Dec. 13. He faces three years to life in prison on each sexual abuse count and one to 15 years on each sexual exploitation count.
His lawyer Tara Isaacson declined to comment beyond the details of the plea agreement.
Please, God, don't let the sentences run concurrently! 20 charges dismissed - that's the 'deal' part of a plea deal and it's disgusting.
Sex offenders can now attend church with children present after Indiana court ruling
BY NICK MCGILL
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled that three convicted Boone County sex offenders can resume attending church services, even if children are present.
The decision comes after a long legal battle stemming from 2015 when the Boone County Sheriff’s Office sent letters to registered sex offenders saying they could not attend churches that have Sunday schools or offer child care services.
The move came after lawmakers passed a statute that bans “serious sex offenders” from access to school property, i.e. a “federal, state, local, or nonprofit program or service operated to serve, assist, or otherwise benefit children who are at least three (3) years of age and not yet enrolled in kindergarten.”
In its decision, the court ruled:
“In sum, appellants’ churches are not ‘school property’ and they do not become ‘school property’ by virtue of conducting Sunday school or offering child care services for children who are three years old but not yet enrolled in kindergarten.”
ACLU of Indiana’s legal directory called the letters sent by Boone County an “erroneous interpretation of the statute.”
“If we’re going to allow anyone who’s previously been incarcerated to live their life, and to expect that they’re going to reintegrate into society as a free person, they have to be treated as a free person,” he said.
BS! If they are on the sex offender's registry it is because they are a danger to children and measures must be taken to protect children from coming into contact with them. There are always 'adults only' church services available in most cities and it you can't find one, then find a pastor who will start one.
Falk represented the three men in the case. Though the men are described in court documents as “serious sex offenders” and have convictions for crimes against children, Falk says the men were using their churches for rehabilitation.
“These men indicated that they had very strong reasons tied to their rehabilitation to want to attend church. And it seemed particularly cruel and shortsighted to say ‘no you cannot get the benefit of solace and forgiveness,’” he said.
In a statement responding to the ruling, a spokesperson for the Indiana Attorney General’s office said:
“The Attorney General takes very seriously the Indiana legislature’s efforts to protect children from sexual abuse, and his office vigorously defends efforts to protect children such as the sex and violent offender registry. The legislature’s decision to restrict serious sex offenders’ access to such places as school property is also one of these important efforts. We are carefully reviewing today’s Court of Appeals’ decision and will decide how to proceed with this case by the applicable deadline.”
So, they may well appeal this decision.
Sandy Runkle-Delorme, the director of programming for Prevent Child Abuse Indiana says despite the ruling, the focus should now, and always be, on the safety of children.
“No matter how this ruling affects anything there should just always be protective policies when there’s a youth serving organization that serves families and children. Those policies should be in place no matter what,” she said.
Both the Boone County prosecutor and the Boone County sheriff were unavailable for comment on Wednesday.
Upstate NY man charged with felony sex abuse
The Citizen staff
A Jordan man was arrested Tuesday and charged with sexually abusing a boy under the age of 11, according to New York State Police.
State police on Wednesday said Travis L. Severin, 20, of Jordan, has been charged with one count of first-degree sexual abuse, a class D felony, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor. According to the state police blotter, the case was reported to authorities Monday night.
After he was arrested Tuesday afternoon, Severin was arraigned in Village of Jordan Court and sent to the Onondaga County Justice Center on bail of $10,000 cash or $20,000 bond.
Kansas man jailed for alleged child sex crimes
BY HAYS POST
SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.
Just before 9:30 Tuesday, police responded to a central-Salina home after taking report of sexual abuse, according to Captain Mike Sweeney.
Police arrested 34-year-old Richard Pulkkinen, of Salina. He is an acquaintance of the family of the preteen female victim, according to Sweeney. A family reported the alleged crime.
Pulkkinen is being held in the Saline County Jail on requested charges of rape, criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties with a child.
6 new settlements totaling $1.8M announced involving NY priest child sex abuse
Stacey Sager
By Eyewitness News
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Attorneys for child sex abuse victims have announced six settlements involving priests with the Archdiocese of New York and Brooklyn.
The settlements involve the actions of five different priests.
There were strong words from advocates for these victims at a news conference Wednesday, who claim that the Archdiocese of New York and the Archdiocese of Brooklyn did nothing about this until now. The new settlement is another $1.8 million being paid out to the six additional victims, ranging from $50,000 to $450,000 for abuse dating back to 1959.
Five priests are being talked about in this latest settlement. Three are now deceased and all have been removed as priests.
Father Gennaro "Jerry" Gentile, Monsignor Casper Wolf and Father Herbert D'Argenio were all from the New York Archdiocese. Father Adam Prochaski and Father Herbert McElroy were from Brooklyn.
The two names that were not released until Wednesday are Father D'Argenio and Msgr. Wolf. Both are now deceased. Monsignor Wolf is significant because he worked at Cardinal Hayes High School for nearly three decades.
Advocates for the victims say this is a shameful day for the archdiocese.
"What we have seen today is a shameful example of what the Archdiocese of New York considers business as usual," said Joelle Casteix, a victim's advocate. "When we look at Monsignor Casper Wolf and Father Herbert D'Argenio, we see two men that the Archdiocese of New York knew were child sex abusers, and they did nothing to warn children. They did nothing to tell parents and they did nothing to reach out to the survivors for years."
These were not court cases. These are settlements from a massive compensation fund that was set up last year by the Archdiocese of New York.
Here are the deadlines for registering for the New York Compensation Program:
Archdiocese of New York
- Phase II - November 1, 2017
Archdiocese of Brooklyn
- Phase II - December 21, 2017
Diocese of Rockville Centre
- Phase I - December 31, 2017
- Phase II - Unknown
To get more information or to register for the Independent Reconciliation and Compensation Program, visit: www.archny.org
Prichard child rape, sodomy suspect apprehended after pursuit leads to fiery traffic crash
By Jared Boyd JBoyd@al.com
The Mobile County Sheriff's Office corrected a previous press release concerning the death of a passenger in Larry Lett-Hall's vehicle identified as Lamar Marcus Williams. The passenger was transported to the hospital in critical condition, where he remains hospitalized, authorities said.
A suspect wanted for several counts of crimes related to child sexual abuse has been apprehended following a dangerous pursuit that resulted in serious injuries.
Mobile County Sheriff's Office confirms that 23-year-old Larry Lett-Hall, a man wanted for seven felony warrants between Mobile Police and Prichard Police departments for crimes including kidnapping, assault, and the rape and sodomy of two children, was arrested on October 20.
A task force made up of officers from the United States Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, with the assistance of the Mobile County Sheriff's Office, Mobile Police Department and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency began surveillance on Lett-Hall at approximately 8 a.m. on the morning of the arrest.
About 30-minutes into the establishment of the unit's watch over Lett-Hall's movements, the suspect was seen entering a vehicle with two unknown individuals. Officers followed the vehicle, eventually attempting to pull the vehicle over with both marked and unmarked service vehicles.
Officers report that Lett-Hall made an abrupt turn in the opposite direction and began to attempt to evade arrest.
U.S. Marshals involved in the encounter lost sight of the vehicle and decided to hold off on their pursuit. They, instead, headed in the last known direction of the vehicle.
Officers found three overturned vehicles at the intersections of Bearfork Road and Dial Road in Prichard.
Sheriff's deputies observed that Lett-Hall's vehicle was on fire at the scene. Emergency response units worked to remove occupants from the fiery wreckage. Lett-Hall was treated for his injuries and has been booked at Mobile Metro Jail.
No comments:
Post a Comment