7 Stories from 6 Countries on Today's Global PnP List

Victims aged 4 to 75: Norway community rocked by 150+ sexual assault cases spanning 60yrs

Tysfjord, Norway © S. Zankl

A small Norwegian town above the Arctic Circle has witnessed at least 151 cases of sexual assault since 1953, police revealed. Victims ranged between four and 75 years old, and mostly belonged to the indigenous Sami community.

All the incidents took place in the Tysfjord municipality in Norway, with a population of less than 2,000 residents. The police probe started after a report in the local VG newspaper in 2016. 

The oldest case dates back to 1953 and the most recent took place in August 2017, police said, adding that they dropped 106 cases in November this year because too much time had passed. Two people have been charged with a total of 10 assaults, and about 30 cases are still under investigation.

“Many of these abuses have been going on for a long time. Several assault cases started when the victims were very young. The youngest was four years when the abuse began,” police attorney Oyvind Rengard said at a press conference, as cited by Norwegian media on Tuesday.

In total, 92 people, including three women, are suspects, police said. Nearly 70 percent of the victims and the suspects belong to the indigenous Sami community in Tysfjord. The investigation showed that many of them are affiliated with the Laestadianism Church, a conservative Lutheran revival movement that originated in Lapland in the 19th century.

“The police have no reason to believe that ethnicity or religious beliefs are an explanation to the assaults that took place,” police officer Tone Vangen told a news conference.

‘The assaults left their traces’

Among these 151 cases, there are at least 43 rapes, including three committed against children in the municipality. All the victims are aged between four and 75, police said.

In 2016, VG cited 11 people who claimed they were victims of sexual assaults. One woman who spoke on condition of anonymity said that she was abused by her father.  “The municipality authorities failed her in every way possible. Not intentionally, but due to lack of expertise,” the woman’s lawyer said.

Marion Knutsen, 29, told VG that her mother, who committed suicide back in 2015, was subjected to sexual assaults when she was a teenager. Knutsen said that she herself was sexually assaulted. One more woman said that she was sexually abused by an adult relative when she was 11. It lasted until she turned 13, she added.

Another victim said that the abuse started when she was four years old. “The assaults left their traces. They made me more vulnerable in my teens,” she said, adding that when she was eight she was abused by two men.

 Another victim, a woman, said she was visiting a friend in Tysfjord when she was raped by two men who sneaked into her bedroom. “Several others were present in the same house,” the woman, who was in her teens at the time of the attack, said. “They laughed,” she added.

Tysfjord, Norway

‘Forty’ abusers at UK Catholic school in last 20 years

Andrew Norfolk
The Times

Forty monks and teachers have been accused of sexually abusing boys at a leading Roman Catholic school that allegedly became a “honeypot” for offenders, it was revealed yesterday.

Reports of child sex offences at Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire were disclosed yesterday at a public hearing of an inquiry into the handling of abuse allegations by the Catholic church.

As a case study, the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA) is examining safeguarding policies at two fee-paying boarding schools run by the English Benedictine Congregation — Ampleforth, and Downside in Somerset. Riel Karmy-Jones, QC, counsel to the inquiry, said that it would consider the prevalence of child abuse within the Catholic church and the extent to which Catholic culture “has or does inhibit the proper investigation and prevention” of such crimes.

Since 1996 three monks and two lay teachers at Ampleforth have been convicted of sex offences against pupils, but Ms Karmy-Jones said that the inquiry had been notified of multiple allegations against about 40 monks and teachers.

See also: Monk Accused of Running Sex Club Allowed to Stay at Ampleforth College

In an opening statement on behalf of 29 abuse survivors Richard Scorer, a specialist abuse lawyer at Slater and Gordon, the law firm, said that the “temptation to cover up” such crimes was “particularly acute in institutions associated with the Roman Catholic Church”. He said: “Where reputation is key to an organisation’s existence, there is likely to be an almost overwhelming desire to find some way of avoiding the bad publicity associated with child sex abuse.” Shared awareness among child abusers that their misconduct would be covered up, or dealt with in-house, explained why “some institutions become honeypots where multiple offenders operate”.

Mr Scorer urged the inquiry to consider recommending a change in the law to make failure to report abuse a criminal offence.

On behalf of 14 victims and survivors, David Enright said that it was “very difficult to explain” to a non-Catholic “the power and depth of influence the Catholic church exerts over its members. The abusers were not only men in positions of trust; they were seen by the abused, and their families, as spokesmen for the God they worship. It is hard to imagine a greater hold that a child abuser could have over his victim.”

Matthias Kelly, QC, counsel for Ampleforth, said that the school and the abbey wanted “to apologise for the hurt, injury, distress and damage done to those who were abused as a result of our failings”. He said that the school’s policy today was one of “full, transparent and immediate co-operation with the statutory agencies”.

For Downside and the English Benedictine Congregation, Kate Gallafent, QC, said that the Catholic church was committed to giving the inquiry “its full co-operation. The congregation expresses profound shame that any child has been the victim of sexual abuse whilst in the care of the schools connected with its abbeys.”

I may be alone in this, but sometimes I think there are some orders within the Catholic umbrella that should be completely abolished. Their guilt and shame far beyond forgiveness. Is it time for the Vatican to purge itself of reprobate orders?

Aussie child rapist accused bailed despite police opposition

SAM BIDEY, Townsville Bulletin

AN alleged child rapist has been bailed after fronting Townsville Magistrates Court on seven counts of rape and six counts of indecent treatment of a child under 12.

Detectives from the Townsville Child Protection Investigation Unit arrested and charged a 37-year-old Vincent man with the alleged offences on Friday afternoon.

His victim, a young boy, made disclosures about the alleged rapes to the mother of the accused who then contacted police.

Townsville Child Protection Investigation Unit officer-in-charge Senior Sergeant Dave Miles said police would allege the offences occurred between May and November.

It will be alleged the accused was a family friend who was residing with the victim’s mother.

Sen-Sgt Miles said that when police were dealing with allegations involving young children “it’s imperative that the community is protected against such individuals”.

The man was held in custody at the weekend and fronted Townsville Magistrates Court on Monday where police strongly opposed bail. Despite this, the alleged offender was granted bail to reappear before the court on February 2, 2018.

Under conditions of bail, the man is not allowed to go to the house where the alleged offences took place nor have contact with the victim or his family, and must report to police three times a week.

Bravehearts, a foundation aiming to prevent child sexual abuse in society, believes the interests of all children should be protected by the courts.

“Conditions may be enforced in relation to a specific victim but we also need to be protecting all children in the community,” Bravehearts criminologist Carol Ronkin said.

The foundation’s stance is that bail should be refused for anyone charged with child sex offences except in exceptional circumstances.

“We understand people are innocent until proven guilty but these are serious offences and we strongly believe the presumption should be to refuse bail,” Ms Ronkin said.

“Any decision by the courts should always be made with the interests of children at heart and what’s best for protecting children.”

Wouldn't that be nice?

Sex offences by adults in position of trust up 82% in UK, says NSPCC

Campaigners urge current legislation doesn't go far enough to protect children, as law is currently limited to regulated settings such as schools, hospitals and care homes

May Bulman Social Affairs Correspondent @maybulman

Sex crimes committed by adults in positions of trust have increased by more than 80 per cent since 2014, official figures show.

The number of offences where professionals such as teachers, care staff and youth justice workers targeted 16- and 17-year-olds in their care for sex rose to 290 in the year to June – up from 159 three years ago. 

Nearly 1,000 crimes were recorded over the period, with the figure steadily rising year on year.

One child victim is Lee, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, who was befriended by a youth leader at his church group when he was 15. The adult began texting Lee and asking to spend time together outside of the group.

“He started by sitting closer to me on the sofa, trailing his finger on to mine. Things which I thought were weird but not big enough to react to,” Lee said.

Things escalated to kissing and sexual contact when Lee turned 16, he said, adding: “I was so confused but knew what he was doing was wrong. I wanted it to stop but part of me was afraid to speak out because I didn’t want to get him in trouble.”

Campaigners are now warning that current legislation doesn’t go far enough to protect children, as the law is currently limited to certain regulated settings and positions, such as schools, care settings, hospitals and criminal justice.

The legal loophole means some adults who work with children, such as sports coaches, religious leaders or adults working in the arts and other activities, are not considered to be in positions of trust – meaning sexual activity between them and a 16- or 17-year-old child is not illegal.

The Government has recently made progress on this issue by extending the legislation to cover sports coaches, following historic allegations of sexual abuse in football that emerged a year ago, but the NSPCC is urging the Government to go further and extend the law to cover all adults working regularly with children. 

NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless said it was “hard to believe” that the law protects 16- and 17-year-old children from being abused in the classroom, but not on the sports pitch or on the stage. 

“We know that some adult youth workers spend years grooming young people and then, as soon as their 16th birthday comes around, they target them for sex,” he said.

“Extending position of trust laws to sports coaches is an important step in the right direction which will help protect more children from this kind of abuse. But to stop there would be a missed opportunity.

“Government must close this loophole to protect children from other adults who use their authority to exploit them.”

The NSPCC’s #TrustToLead campaign is urging the Government to go further and extend the law to cover all adults working regularly with children, including religious leaders, adults working in the arts, outdoor pursuits and other activities. 

Recidivist NZ sex offender jailed for raping young girl

A convicted rapist has been jailed for the serious sexual assault of a young girl.

Pourau Sir Charles Albert previously pleaded guilty to raping the victim on two occasions between 2009 and 2010, when she was aged between 8-10 years of age.

It was revealed during the 59-year-old's sentencing in the Hāwera District Court that he had been convicted of raping a woman in 1998 and also jailed in 2013 for indecent assault. 

The victim of the indecent assault was the same girl he raped, however she did not disclose the more serious abuse until later on.

Judge Chris Sygrove said the first attack took place in 2009, when the girl was eight. 

She had been lying in bed watching a DVD. After getting the child a hot chocolate, Albert lay down next to her and started to touch her, the judge said.

Albert then removed the child's pants and raped her.

In 2010, when the victim was 10, Albert walked into the girl's room and ordered her to lie on top of a nearby desk, where she was sexually assaulted.

"You held her down to prevent her from moving. You then left the room," the judge said.

Judge Sygrove said Albert had expressed to the probation officer how had he had changed his ways after finding religion behind bars and also acknowledged the pain and suffering of the victim.

During the court hearing, Albert stood quietly in the dock as the horrors of his actions were dictated by Judge Sygrove. All the while, he clasped a small bible in his hands which he would glance at from time to time.

Prosecutor Stephanie Simpkin said the aggravating factors included the harm caused to the victim and her young age at the time of the sexual abuse. She said Albert's previous sex offending history also needed to be taken into account.

A starting point of 13 years jail was sought by Simpkin, who also asked for a minimum period of imprisonment of 50 per cent be imposed.

Defence counsel Rajan Rai submitted a lower starting point of jail time for Albert, of between 7-8 years. Rai said when the defendant was confronted with the allegations, he admitted them immediately.

Intergenerational abuse

He said Albert had been psychologically assessed prior to his sentencing and the report outlined how the man had been sexually, physically and verbally abused by members of his family as he grew up and that he rarely went to school.

After dropping out of education at 13, Albert joined a gang and fell into drug and alcohol use. He eventually moved to Taranaki, from Auckland, for a fresh start, Rai said.

In considering the case on Wednesday, Judge Sygrove said the only thing Albert deserved credit for was his early guilty pleas.

Albert was jailed for eight and a half years, and will have to serve a minimum period of four years before becoming eligible for parole.

At the time of his release from prison for the indecent assaults, Albert was placed onto a 10-year extended supervision order, which is monitored by Corrections.  It was due to run until 2026.

4 years. How pathetic is that? When are courts in New Zealand going to start thinking about the children?

Taranaki, N.Z.

No sexual abuse found in Beijing kindergarten: Police

Xinhua

Beijing police said on Tuesday evening they had not found any evidence that children have been sexually exploited in the RYB Education New World Kindergarten.

Preschoolers at the kindergarten in Chaoyang District were reportedly sexually molested, pierced by needles and given unidentified pills, stirring up a national outrage.

According to police, the investigation showed that a female teacher surnamed Liu, 22, allegedly used sewing needles to "discipline" children who would not sleep. Liu has been detained.

The kindergarten has 78 staff with eight males who have no contact with children in private.

No abnormality was found after the examination of a girl involved in the case upon her parents' request.

Teachers were not allowed to give any drug to children except those presented by parents.

The surveillance footage of the problematic class obtained by police had been damaged, which was found to be due to frequent power outages. Investigation showed that a staff member in the surveillance room was annoyed by the noise of the monitor and frequently cut the electricity after school.

About 113 hours of footage was restored and viewed and no act of abuse was found.

The claims that children have been collectively molested were found to be rumors created by a 31-year-old woman surnamed Liu and a 29-year-old woman surnamed Li. Liu has been detained, and Li received a police warning.

A video clip was broadcast by a TV station on Nov. 23 showing a child saying he was fed pills by teachers. The father admitted that the child has not been fed pills in school, but it was he himself who induced the child to say so.

Parent surnamed Zhao had said that there were naked male "doctors" conducting body checks on her daughter. Zhao admitted that the story was entirely fabricated and she was willing to apologize to the public.

Police said the case is still under investigation.

Specialist unit to investigate Glasgow

child prostitution claims

Marc Horne
The Times

A police unit that was set up after the Rotherham abuse scandal is to investigate persistent claims of child sex exploitation in Glasgow (4th story on link).

The National Child Abuse Investigation Unit (NCAIU) has been drafted in to an inquiry following allegations reported in The Times that children from the Roma community are being sold to adult abusers in the first minister’s Glasgow South constituency.

Nicola Sturgeon and Michael Matheson, the justice minister, opposition politicians and local councillors have all called for the claims to be thoroughly examined.

Police Scotland said it was now working with the NCAIU to “robustly” investigate concerns raised about child sexual exploitation in the Govanhill district.

Liam McArthur, the Scottish Liberal Democrat justice spokesman who raised the issue at the Scottish parliament last week, said: “The involvement of this unit, with its considerable specialist expertise, in the investigation in Govanhill is a welcome and sensible move.” Since The Times reported the allegations earlier this month, other residents of Govanhill have come forward to report incidents. A nurse said he was openly propositioned by a young girl near his home.

A series of reports compiled by social workers and academics since 2013 have suggested that exploitation may be rooted in the poverty surrounding the large Roma community in Govanhill.

Child exploitation and poverty are frequently associated.

The national investigations unit was launched in 2015 by the former chief constable, Sir Stephen House, after the Rotherham scandal, where 1,400 children were abused between 1997 and 2013. Based in Livingston, West Lothian, its remit is to help local divisions investigate child sexual abuse.

NBC Fires Matt Lauer over 'Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour'; a Dozen More Fall

The Stars are Falling - and they don't get much bigger than Matt Lauer

More than a dozen others are hitting the ground

CBC News 

Longtime Today Show co-host Matt Lauer has been fired by NBC, which has cited 'inappropriate sexual behaviour.' Viewers learned the news while tuning in early Wednesday morning. (Richard Drew/Associated Press)

NBC has terminated Matt Lauer after receiving allegations of "inappropriate sexual behaviour in the workplace" by the longtime co-host of The Today Show, the second U.S. morning show personality turfed in the span of one week.

The complaint was brought by a network employee assigned to cover the Sochi Olympics in 2014, with the alleged behaviour taking place during the Games and continuing afterward, according to NBC.

Lauer's co-host, Savannah Guthrie, announced Lauer's termination Wednesday by reading a network memo during the 7 a.m. ET broadcast.

The memo, attributed to NBC News chairman Andy Lack, reads:

"On Monday night, we received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behaviour in the workplace by Matt Lauer. It represented, after serious review, a clear violation of our company's standards. As a result, we've decided to terminate his employment. While it is the first complaint about his behaviour in the over 20 years he's been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.

'While it is the first complaint about his behaviour in the over 20 years he's been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.'

"Our highest priority is to create a workplace environment where everyone feels safe and protected, and to ensure that any actions that run counter to our core values are met with consequences, no matter who the offender. As you can imagine, we are devastated, and we are still processing all of this."

- Andrew Lack, NBC News chairman

video 4:12

Lauer, 59, has been with Today for more than two decades, replacing Bryant Gumbel and — sitting next to Katie Couric — presiding over a period when the show was a ratings leader. He was a steady figure for the program through multiple co-host changes and as ratings rose and fell over the years, including during the controversial ousting of Ann Curry in 2012.

Widely considered the king of U.S. TV morning news, Lauer is one of the highest-paid figures in the industry: reportedly making around $20 million US annually in his role with NBC after signing a new, two-year contract in 2016.

Today co-hosts Guthrie, Al Roker and Hoda Kotb appeared emotional and shaken on Wednesday morning's broadcast, during which they said they were all grappling with the news.

Calling Lauer her friend and partner, Guthrie nonetheless said she felt "heartbroken" for the colleague who came forward with the allegations.

In an interview with the New York Times, attorney Ari Wilkenfeld, who represents the complainant, said he and his client met with NBC human resources and legal department representatives on Monday evening.

"Our impression at this point is that NBC acted quickly, as all companies should, when confronted with credible allegations of sexual misconduct in the workplace," Wilkenfeld told the Times.

"While I am encouraged by NBC's response to date, I am in awe of the courage my client showed to be the first to raise a complaint and to do so without making any demands other than the company do the right thing."

Lauer's termination ripples out beyond the morning show realm: a familiar face across other areas of NBC News as well, he had also been scheduled to host the network's coverage of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree-lighting ceremony Wednesday evening.

Blasted by Trump, other hosts sombre

U.S. President Donald Trump was swift to weigh in on the allegations, blasting the network and its parent company as "Fake News."

"Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for 'inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.' But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lack's past!" he tweeted.

 "We are grappling with a dilemma that so many people have faced these past few weeks," Today co-host Guthrie said early Wednesday. 

"How do you reconcile your love for someone with the revelation that they have behaved badly? I don't know the answer to that. But I do know that this reckoning that so many organizations have been going through is important, it's long overdue and it must result in workplaces where all women, all people, feel safe and respected."

Meanwhile, other U.S. morning show hosts were also sombre in reporting the Lauer allegations, with Gayle King and Norah O'Donnell of CBS This Morning invoking déjà vu, a week after they were in a similar situation with Rose. 

On ABC's Good Morning America, Robin Roberts — alongside co-hosts Michael Strahan and George Stephanopoulos — expressed sympathy for the rival network peers. 

Meanwhile, Megyn Kelly empathized with her NBC News on-air colleagues at the start of her 9 a.m. ET show on Wednesday, but also noted that "when this happens, what we don't see is the pain on the faces of those who found the courage to come forward — and it's a terrifying thing to do."

Kelly joined the broadcast network earlier this year. Previously, she was a high-profile host at cable network Fox News, where she was among a number of women who levied sexual harassment allegations against its founding CEO, Roger Ailes, ultimately forcing his ouster.

"As painful as this moment is for so many here at NBC today, at CBS earlier this month, at Fox News over the last year, in Hollywood this fall, it is a sign of progress. Of women finding their voices, their courage and of the erosion of a shameful power imbalance that has been in place for far too long," she said.

Several journalists have noted on social media that multiple outlets — including the New York Times, Variety and Huffington Post — have been investigating accusations against Lauer for months.

Lauer's firing comes on the heels of revelations about CBS This Morning host Charlie Rose, who was fired Nov. 21 after eight women told the Washington Post they had been subjected to his unwanted sexual advances.

The women, who ranged in age from 21 to 37 at the time of the alleged incidents, told the Post that Rose's advances included lewd phone calls, walking around naked in their presence or groping.

Lauer is the latest in a growing list of news media figures felled by sexual misconduct charges this year. Besides Rose, they also include Lauer's former NBC News colleague Mark Halperin, National Public Radio newsroom chief Michael Oreskes, suspended New York Times White House correspondent Glenn Thrush and former Fox News prime-time host Bill O'Reilly. 

Wednesday, Garrison Keillor, the former host of the syndicated radio variety program, A Prairie Home Companion, said he has been fired by Minnesota Public Radio over allegations of improper behaviour.

There are many more stars to fall yet in this meteor shower. Cudos to the women who found the courage to speak up, it will not be easy for you for some will blame you rather than the misogynistic SoBs who thought they were doing you a favour by trying to rape you.

This is the beginning of dealing with the culture of rape in America. But there is a long way to go as the main cause of it is the easy availability of pornography, especially to adolescent boys. Until that is stopped this kind of behaviour will continue for a very long time. 

1000 Year Sentence, Babysitter, Cop, Coach Lead Today's USA PnP List

Texas Man Receives More Than 1,000 Years

on Child Sex Assault, Incest Charges

By: Kate Winkle and Lauren Lanmon (KXAN)

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) - A San Marcos man sentenced on child sexual abuse charges Monday received double life sentences, in addition to more than 1,000 years in prison.

Robert Benjamin Franks, 39, was convicted on multiple counts after harming two children, one of whom was a family member. According to court documents, Franks abused one of his victims starting when she was just five years old. The documents add that the abuse happened three or four times a week lasting at least five years.

“To have all of that innocence and protection taken away by the very person who is supposed to be preserving that for children is what I think makes this so much worse than some of those other cases that may be more violent,” said Hays County District Attorney Wes Mau. “It was a betrayal of somebody who should be looking out for those children.”

According to trial testimony, a 9-year-old girl told her father that Franks was doing “disgusting things” to her — including having her and another young girl perform oral sex, according to a Hays County DA’s office release. During a short punishment hearing, Frank’s adult cousin also spoke up and accused him of taking advantage of her.

The trial began a week before Thanksgiving, however jurors took a break the entire holiday week before returning the following Monday.

“The holidays are times of forgiveness and looking for the best in people. Jurors I know come in a lot of times with that holiday attitude. This time, I think it worked to the defense’s disadvantage,” said Mau. “The jurors probably were at home and dismayed that things like this could even happen. I assume they spent time with their family, and were horrified this could happen in someone else’s family.”

The jury deliberated for about an hour Monday before returning a guilty verdict on all 17 counts. The punishment deliberations lasted a little more than two hours.

“When these kinds of cases occur, there is no room for leniency. These kinds of predators have to be treated with the harshest of consequences,” said Mau. “I think it sends a message to anyone else out in the community who might be thinking about doing a crime like this that jurors, at least in Hays County, have no tolerance for this kind of behavior.”

The two continuous sexual abuse charges each had a life sentence. Each of the nine counts of aggravated sexual assault had 99-year sentences, and each of the six counts of indecency with a child had 20 year sentences. Franks is also supposed to pay a $93,000 fine.

Mau says he doesn’t get lengthy sentences like this often. He hopes this case not only sends a message to potential criminals but also to victims.

“This was a case where it came down to whether or not the jurors believed these two young girls. There was no physical evidence, these were delayed outcries,” said Mau. “I hope this sends a message that jurors will believe them and they should not be afraid to come forward thinking it’s going to be my word against adults and that the other adults will believe the grownups. I think the jurors see that and jurors see that children don’t make up things like this.”

Babysitter convicted on 98 counts for raping children at church and home in NY

A babysitter was convicted of repeatedly raping two children, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr. said on Tuesday. The convicted sex offender recorded some of the sexual assaults and made montages of the scenes set to music.

Milton Narvaez, also known as Milton Gomez, 35, was convicted by a jury of his peers in the New York State Supreme Court of:

• Predatory Sexual Assault Against a Child Under the Age of 13, a class A felony, 13 counts

• Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a class D felony, 2 counts

• Aggravated Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, a class D felony, 1 count

• Promoting a Sexual Performance By a Child, a class D felony, 14 counts

• Promoting a Sexual Performance By a Child as a Sexually Motivated Felony, a class D felony, 7 counts

• Possessing a Sexual Performance By a Child Under the Age of 16, a class E felony, 61 counts

Narvaez is due back in court on Dec. 1.

“There are few acts more horrific than the long-term sexual abuse of a child,” Vance said. “As a babysitter and custodian with access to children, Milton Narvaez abused his position to rape two children, before further exploiting them by recording video of the acts.”

According to the district attorney, Narvaez worked as a babysitter and on the custodial staff at the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church located in Midtown Manhattan.

Narvaez began sexually abusing a child he was paid to babysit in February 2008. The child was 6-years-old at the time. Narvaez remained the child’s babysitter for six years.

Narvaez also sexually abused an unidentified child in the storage room of the Armenian church on Oct. 15, 2011.

The sexual assaults were discovered during the course of a routine investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office’s Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau into the sharing and possession of images of child sexual assault through peer-to-peer technology, akin to that used to swap online music and audio files.

In addition to the videos of Narvaez sexually assaulting children, he shared and possessed dozens of known images of child pornography.

Former Waco police employee on trial in

another family child sex abuse case

By TOMMY WITHERSPOON twitherspoon@wacotrib.com  1 hr ago  (0)

A former Waco Police Department records department supervisor sexually abused a family member over a three-year period beginning when the girl was 10, the girl reluctantly testified Tuesday.

Saying she did not want to testify, the girl, now 17, forced prosecutor Gabrielle Massey to coax incriminating testimony from her that she answered mostly in almost inaudible one-word responses after long pauses. Through a steady stream of tears, the girl told jurors Jose Isreal Ramos regularly sexually assaulted her from 2010 to 2013.

Ramos, 50, a former records supervisor at the Waco Police Department, works now for a diaper-manufacturing plant. He is charged in Waco's 54th State District Court with continuous sexual abuse of a child and six counts of indecency with a child by contact.

Massey and prosecutor Christi Hunting Horse rested their case against Ramos Tuesday evening. Defense attorneys Melanie Walker and Jessi Freud will present defense witnesses when the trial resumes Wednesday morning.

The hesitant girl's testimony was so laborious that Massey eventually asked her if what she told her grandmother and Dr. Ann Sims of the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children was true. The girl said it was true.

However, the girl also acknowledged that she lied to a Child Protective Services worker about whether her mother assaulted her and that she and friends from school were caught in a scheme to spread a damaging story that also was not true about a teacher they disliked.

Walker also suggested through her cross-examination of witnesses that the girl had gotten into trouble at school and fabricated the abuse as a way to deflect the problems she was having at school.

The girl's grandmother testified that the girl revealed to her in 2013 when the girl was 13 that Ramos had been sexually abusing her for the past three years.

She said the girl's mother sensed that something was wrong with her daughter and asked the grandmother to speak to her. She said the girl told her that Ramos was "hurting me." When she asked her to explain, the girl said "he is having sex with me."

"She told me that he said if she wanted him to stop, he would, but he didn't," the grandmother said.

The girl told her grandmother that Ramos forced her to perform oral sex on him one night after he pulled into the parking lot at the Baylor University track and field facility. Ramos also told the girl that they would have to be careful so she wouldn't get pregnant now that she was getting older, the grandmother told jurors.

Ramos also watched adult movies with the girl and made her perform the sex acts they saw on film, she said.

Sims, who examined the girl after the allegations surfaced, told jurors the girl said she was afraid of Ramos and that he sexually assaulted her more than 30 times. Sims said the girl started cutting herself as a way to deal with the abuse but was not suicidal.

She said the girl told her that Ramos promised to buy her a phone and gave her money to entice her to not report the abuse and to allow it to continue.

"She said he told her, 'I'm trusting you not to tell nobody. This will help me from getting cancer down there,' " Sims said, quoting what Ramos reportedly told the girl while forcing her to perform sex acts.

Texas man wanted on child sex abuse charge

By Jeff Awtrey, Assignments Editor

POLK COUNTY, TX (KTRE) -

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in locating a Livingston man accused of sexually assaulting a child.

Matthew Edward Ward, 23, is wanted on a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child.

According to a press release, the sheriff’s office received a call on Nov. 17 concerning allegations of sexual abuse.

Detectives with the office began interviewing a child victim, who made outcries of sexual abuse and detectives determined the suspect is Ward.

Anyone with information on Ward’s whereabouts are urged to call the sheriff’s office at 936-327-6810.

Former Virginia softball coach handed down
several more child sex crimes charges

by Elizabeth Tyree

CULPEPER, Va. (WSET) -- A woman, currently facing 34 sexual assault charges, is now facing 12 more charges.

Virginia State Police served Cathy Rothgeb, 57, of Stanley, with four counts of object sexual penetration, four counts of forcible sodomy, and four counts of indecent liberties with a juvenile by a custodian on Tuesday, November 28.

The additional indictments were handed up by a Spotsylvania, Virginia grand jury.

Police said Rothgeb turned herself in to state police in October after she was indicted by an Orange grand jury on 34 sexual assault counts.

Those included seven counts of object sexual penetration, seven counts of forcible sodomy, eight counts of indecent liberties with children, eight counts of cruelty to children, and four counts of aggravated sexual battery.

Police said the charges stem from an investigation that began in 2016.

They said a female victim told an investigator about alleged sexual abuse while Rothgeb was a volunteer softball coach.

The new charges stem from two different women who came forward to state police investigating concerning alleged sexual abuse during Rothgeb’s tenure as a volunteer softball coach in Orange and Spotsylvania counties.

Rothgeb is also a former youth softball coach for Orange County High School, she's coached youth recreational leagues and travel teams in Orange County, Spotsylvania County, and throughout Virginia for decades.

Anyone with information about Rothgeb or her charges are encouraged to contact the State Police at 1-888-300-0156 or 540-829-7400 or by email to questions@vsp.virginia.gov.

Rothgeb continues to be held without bond at the Central Virginia Regional Jail.

Utah man sentenced for sexual abuse

of 13-year-old girl

BY TAYLOR HARTMAN

CARBON COUNTY, Utah – A carbon county man was sentenced to prison, for alleged sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl.

30-year-old Kenneth Ray Fox pleaded guilty Monday to two second degree felonies; one for forcible sexual abuse, and another for enticing a minor.

Fox was sentenced to two concurrent sentences of no less than one year and no more than 15 years in Utah State Prison.

According to court documents filed in Price, Fox originally faced five counts, three for sexual exploitation on a minor, one for enticing a minor and one for rape of a child. Fox allegedly knowingly used the internet or text messaging to, “solicit, seduce, lure, or entice a minor.”

According to an affidavit, “Numerous sexually explicit images and videos were transmitted between both users through various apps.”

Fox allegedly also created a fake Facebook account, to communicate with the minor.

One of the Most Horrific Pedophiles Ever - Help Take Him Down

Police have finally charged the pervert who has abused thousands of children in nightmarish acts of horror for many years. But Kashmir's judicial system leaves much to be desired and so the victims, those willing to speak out, have determined that they need an outside lawyer to prosecute their case.

This blog has reported on thousands of pedophiles over the past few years, some of them unbelievably horrific. But there are very few who can compare with the 'Holy man' who appears to channel demons as he rapes several children night after night. 

Hiring an outside lawyer will be expensive by Kasmiri standards, but you can help. Please read:

Kashmir peer has traumatised a generation of children - it's the 3rd story on the link and it's my original post on this monster.

Then, if you can, please go to this crowdfunding site https://www.impactguru.com/fundraiser/help-musab-omer and make a donation to help put this evil creature behind bars. He has already destroyed thousands of lives, please help make sure he does not have opportunity to continue destroying children.

They are only asking for the equivalent of $8,000 total. Can you help?

13 Stories Include Some Disgusting People on Today's USA PnP List

Broken Arrow man sentenced to 175 years in prison for sexually abusing two children

By Samantha Vicent Tulsa World 

A Broken Arrow man was sentenced to 175 years in prison Monday for convictions on five counts of child sexual abuse involving two children.

Jurors recommended in October that Jeffery Arch Jones, 26, receive prison sentences of 40 years each for three of the five counts, along with sentences of 25 and 30 years for the other two charges.

Jones was accused of sexually abusing a 7-year-old between September 2015 and September 2016 and an 11-year-old between August 2015 and August 2016.

District Judge William LaFortune upheld the jury's sentencing recommendations during a brief sentencing hearing Monday afternoon and ordered that each term be served consecutively, overruling a request from defense attorney Beverly Atteberry for concurrent sentencing.

Oregon police seek more victims of alleged

child sex abuser

Detectives said Monday there may be more victims of a man jailed last week on charges of sexually abusing children.

Jackson County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested William Wade McDonald, 52, Wednesday.

He entered not guilty pleas Friday to two counts of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration and four counts of first-degree sexual abuse. He is accused of sexual acts against a child younger than 12 from 2003 into 2007 and sexual acts against another child younger than 14 from 2003 into 2005, according to court documents.

Investigators allege the abuse occurred over a period of several years against children known to McDonald through family and friends. He lived in the Gold Hill area for at least 16 years. Most recently, McDonald had been living in his vehicle, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

McDonald is being held in the Jackson County Jail on $500,000 bail.

He has a pretrial conference scheduled for Dec. 4, court records show.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office tip line at 541-774-8333. The case is number 17-19890.

Texas teacher sentenced to 15 years in prison for long-term sexual abuse of boy

By TOMMY WITHERSPOON twitherspoon@wacotrib.com 

A former Waco school district substitute teacher was sentenced to 15 years in prison Monday for the long-term sexual abuse of a boy beginning when the boy was 12. 

Judge Ralph Strother of Waco's 19th State District Court sentenced Jacoby Jerome Aclese to 15 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of probation. 

Aclese, 30, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child, sexual assault of a child and four counts of indecency with a child. Aclese entered his guilty plea without the benefit of a plea bargain from prosecutors. 

The judge sentenced Aclese to prison on the first count and placed him on probation for 10 years on the remaining counts. However, he "stacked" one probation term onto the prison sentence, meaning Aclese will serve a 10-year term of probation after he completes his prison sentence. 

The Bellmead man must serve at least 7 1/2 years in prison before he can seek parole. 

"Jacoby obviously is disappointed at having the judge sentence him to prison and probation," said Aclese's attorney, Jason P. Darling. "However, he is ready to get this behind him and is remorseful for what he put the victim through." 

A 19-year-old Bellmead man reported in March 2016 that Aclese, a family friend, had been sexually abusing him for seven years.  

Aclese was a substitute teacher for Waco schools from August 2010 to June 2011 and again from February 2012 to February 2013, according to WISD spokesman Kyle Debeer. Aclese was terminated in March 2013 for "improper conduct" and is not eligible for rehire, Debeer said.

Aclese was fired after a junior high student alleged Aclese exposed himself to the boy during a tutoring session, Darling said. Aclese denied the allegations, but Waco school officials fired him and "red flagged" his file, preventing him from getting another substitute teaching job, Darling said.  

Darling said no charges were filed from the boy's outcry and Aclese was able to get the "red flag" removed from his file after an administrative law hearing. 

The incidents involving the 19-year-old family friend, for which Aclese is going to prison, were not reported until about three years after the student's allegations, Darling said. 

Pawtucket Man Sentenced for Child Molestation

of his Daughter

STL.News Politics

PROVIDENCE, RI: Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Eric Mensah (age 38), of Pawtucket, was sentenced on Friday, November 24, 2017, to a total of 35 years, with 25 years to serve and the remainder suspended with probation for multiple counts of first and second degree child molestation. In addition, Menash was ordered to have no contact with the victim, must undergo alcohol counseling and sex offender counseling, and is subject to lifetime sex offender registration and community notification.

Rhode Island Capitol

Menash was found guilty in September of two counts of first degree child molestation and two counts of second degree child molestation after a 10-day trial presided over by Superior Court Justice Netti C. Vogel.

During the trial, the State proved that Menash molested his biological daughter on multiple locations between August 30, 2013 and December 20, 2015. The molestation began after the child moved from Ghana to Pawtucket to reside with her father.

The victim testified during the trial that she was afraid to report the molestation because the defendant physically assaulted and threatened her if she disclosed. The victim finally disclosed to her babysitter the physical and sexual abuse on December 20, 2015. The next morning, the babysitter reported the abuse and molestation to a school counselor who in turn contacted DCYF.

A forensic interview was conducted at the Children’s Advocacy Center at Day One on December 22, 2015, after which the defendant was arrested and charged by the Pawtucket Police Department.

“This young girl came to this country with the hopes and dreams of a better life than she could have in her home country of Ghana, only for the one person she should have been able to trust unequivocally, physically and sexually assault her almost from the day she arrived. She showed tremendous strength and courage in coming forward to report the violence and intimidation perpetrated on her by her father. It is my sincerest hope that she feels safe knowing her abuser will not be able to harm her again,” said Attorney General Kilmartin.

Pawtucket Police Detectives Charles “Chip” Devine and Carrie Hormanski led the investigation and Special Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Child Abuse Unit Shannon Signore prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.

Illinois man admits sex abuse of teen

he met on social media

A Lake County man accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl he met on social media agreed to a plea deal Monday that could put him in prison for up to four years.

Steve W. Spoerl, 54, of the 24700 block of West Townline Road near Round Lake, pleaded guilty Monday morning in front of Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti to two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Spoerl is eligible to receive day-for-day credit while serving his prison sentence and already has credit for 168 days he has served in Lake County jail since his arrest earlier this year.

After finishing the four-year prison sentence, Spoerl must serve another 18 months of periodic imprisonment, said Assistant Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Eric Kalata.

He'll spend that time in the Lake County jail, going free only for work, to search for work, for court appearances, or to meet with attorneys or doctors. If he complies with requirements during his periodic imprisonment, he could go before Rossetti and ask that the rest of the sentence be lifted.

Spoerl must also spend two years on probation, perform 200 hours of public service, go through sex offender evaluation and register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, Kalata said.

A third count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and charges of possession of child pornography and soliciting child pornography were dropped in exchange for the plea deal.

Kalata said in court Monday that Spoerl connected with the teen girl over a social media app called "Whisper." Using the app, Spoerl arranged a meeting with the teen, then took her to a Waukegan motel where sex acts took place, Kalata said.

The family of the teen filed a missing-person report, Kalata said. Three days later, the victim -- a diabetic who had not been taking her medication -- reached out to a friend through social media, saying she needed help.

Police traced the a communication to Spoerl's house, where he was arrested, Kalata said. The girl slipped into a diabetic coma and was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge for treatment.

Spoerl has been held in Lake County jail on $1 million bail since his arrest in June.

Oklahoma woman, man charged with felonies in child sexual abuse case

By Ryan Miller Staff Writer 

     

GOLTRY – A 36-year-old Alfalfa County woman previously charged with felony child neglect was charged Nov. 22 with three new felonies on suspicion of enabling child sexual abuse, according to court documents. 

A 45-year-old Alfalfa County man was charged with six felonies related to the reported child sexual abuse, according to court records. 

Heather Jean Sharp was charged Nov. 15 with a felony count of child neglect. On Nov. 22, Sharp was charged with three new felonies, including two counts of enabling child sexual abuse and one count of failure to report child sexual abuse, according to court documents filed in Alfalfa County. 

The enabling child sexual abuse felonies are each punishable by life in prison and/or a fine of between $500 to $5,000. Failure to report child sexual abuse felony is punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine up to $1,000, according to court documents. The first child neglect felony is punishable by up to life in prison or by up to one year in county jail, a fine $500 to $5,000, or both fine and imprisonment. 

Michael Edward James was charged Nov. 17 with first-degree rape of a victim under age 14, two counts of rape by instrumentation and three counts of lewd molestation, according to court documents.

The first-degree rape is punishable by a minimum of five years in prison, and the rape by instrumentation charges are each punishable by five years in prison to life without parole, according to court documents. Each of the three lewd molestation charges are punishable by three to 20 years in prison. 

In the first probable cause affidavit filed Nov. 15, Sharp was accused of failing to report or protect an 8-year-old girl from sexual abuse by a boy. According to the Nov. 22 affidavit with the three new charges, Sharp is accused of "permitting an adult male to engage and participate in Sex (sic)" with a 13-year-old girl. 

The girl told Sharp about the sexual abuse, but the child said Sharp did not do anything about the reported abuse, according to both affidavits. 

While the two girls were being taken to a sexual abuse examination, the older girl told officials that James had sexually assaulted her numerous times, and the examination revealed signs of sexual abuse, according to the affidavit. 

Sharp told investigators on Nov. 15 that in July, she saw the older girl come out of her room with James, and the girl told Sharp that James had sexually abused her, and James told Sharp he was "teaching her about sex," according to the affidavit.

In another earlier incident, Sharp told officials she caught James on top of the older girl, sexually abusing her, according to the affidavit. Sharp said James told her he was "teaching her about what boys might do," according to the affidavit.

Sharp told investigators she thought James might be having sex with the older girl, but did not ask him to leave because he had nowhere to go, and that he "does things for her," according to the affidavit. 

In an interview, the older girl detailed a number of sexual abuse incidents perpetrated by James spanning several years, according to the affidavit.

On Nov. 15, when law enforcement officials went to speak with James and Sharp about the reported sexual abuse, James had a seizure upon being notified of the allegations, according to the affidavit, and was taken to the hospital, where the doctor believed James to be "faking" his symptoms, although James also was tested positive for methamphetamine. 

In a different incident on Nov. 13, a boy sexually assaulted the younger 8-year-old girl in the residence, according to the affidavit. Sharp walked into the bedroom and observed the boy putting his hands into the girl’s pants, told him to stop, then left the room.

In a later interview with the boy, he admitted to having sex with the 8-year-old girl, according to the affidavit. 

The boy had previous incident of inappropriate sexual behavior, including taking pictures of his genitals on multiple occasions and showing other students, according to the affidavit, and the incidents were handled only by school officials. 

“Both incidents involved the manufacture of and possession of child pornography,” the affidavit reads.

On Nov. 13, law enforcement viewed the camera application on the boy’s school-issued iPad, and found numerous “hard core” sexually explicit photos of adults, first accessed and saved on Sept. 4, 2013, through Nov. 13, 2017, according to the affidavit.

Sharp admitted she was aware of all the reported incidents, and later provided a handwritten statement, according to the affidavit.

According to online court records, Sharp made an initial appearance on the felony child neglect charge Nov. 15, and on Nov. 22, a warrant was issued for her arrest on the three newer felonies.

Online court records show James made an initial appearance Nov. 17. 

Alfalfa County, OK

Austin teacher on administrative leave after improper relationship, child abuse allegations

KVUE

AUSTIN, TX - An Austin ISD middle school teacher has been placed on administrative leave after he was charged with improper relationship with a student and continuous sexual abuse of a child, a representative of AISD confirmed with KVUE Monday.

AISD identified the teacher as Pedro Esteban Rosas Martinez, a Spanish teacher at Dobie Middle School. A representative with the district said Rosas Martinez started teaching at AISD last August.

Travis County officials said that the Austin ISD Police Department received a report on Oct. 31 of a 12-year-old Dobie Middle School student who had cell phone video of a teacher "inappropriately touching her." A detective was then sent to school, who later reviewed the victim's video and observed a male subject touching the victim's inner thigh.

Court documents state the victim was forensically interviewed at the Center for Child Protection on Nov. 6, where she reported that Rosas Martinez had been touching her below the waist on a continuous basis since approximately May 1. The victim stated that she decided to record the incident on Oct. 31 in order to make her outcry.

Police said that upon making contact with Rosas Martinez on the same day of the victim's recording, his voice and clothing matched the male subject's in the video.

According to a letter sent out by Dobie Middle School, the teacher has been on administrative leave with pay since Oct. 31, the same day the school said it received the allegations, and he has been recommended for termination. 

The school said additional counselors are available for students who may need support, and that it would be holding a meeting for families at 5:30 p.m. on Monday in the library.

Rosas Martinez' bond was set at $150,000.

Trial date set for Feb. 5 for priest in child pornography case

The Louisiana trial where nobody showed up but the judge!!!

Ken Stickney, kstickney@theadvertiser.com 

The Rev. F. David Broussard, charged 16 months ago with 500 counts of possession of child pornography, may yet get his day in court.

But it didn't happen Monday in 16th Judicial District Court in St. Martin Parish, where he was scheduled to appear before Judge Vincent J. Borne. And it won't happen until at least Feb. 5, which is when attorneys have agreed to try the felony case.

Broussard's name was called in court simply as "Felix Broussard," but he did not appear before the judge after court officials scoured the courtroom to see if the defendant was present to stand. Court officials initially were uncertain why Broussard was absent.

The likelihood was that Broussard's attorney, Thomas Guilbeau of Lafayette, was not available for Broussard's defense Monday. Guilbeau's office said Monday morning the veteran defense attorney was in Lafayette Parish, where he was expected to represent a defendant in a week-long trial.

Robert Chevalier, the 16th Judicial Court assistant district attorney, was not at the courthouse either, his office staff said. Nor was Chevalier available for comment.

A spokeswoman for the St. Martin Clerk of Court, Criminal Department, said Monday afternoon that attorneys had agreed by phone to move the trial date to Feb. 5.

Broussard remained free Monday on $25,000 bond.

A priest for more than two decades, Broussard was arrested in July 2016 after a repair technician discovered more than 500 images of child sex abuse on Broussard's personal computer. Broussard had brought the computer in for repairs and the technician, after discovering the images, was required by law to report the crime.

Broussard had been assigned to St. Bernard Roman Catholic Church in Breaux Bridge at the time of his arrest; he was also chancellor at the parish school.

A police investigation revealed the images were on Broussard's computer for about two years. None of the images were of local children, authorities said.

On the weekend after his arrest, Broussard sent a letter of apology to his parishioners by way of Most Rev. Douglas Deshotel, bishop of Lafayette, who offered Masses at St. Bernard that weekend and read the letter to parishioners.

Nonetheless, Broussard personally entered a plea of not guilty to the possession of child pornography charges in May before Judge Paul de Mahy.

At the time of Broussard's arrest, Deshotel suspended him from his priestly duties. Church law says sex with minors is a sin of adultery and is considered criminal. If he is convicted, the church could convene a tribunal for Broussard and remove him from the priesthood.

‘So you can’t do this again’ Ohio judge says as she sentences man to 30 years in prison for  child sex abuse

Nancy Bowman  Contributing Writer

TROY - Thirty years in prison was ordered Monday for a Monroe Twp., Miami County, man convicted of five felony charges of sexual battery and gross sexual imposition involving sexual contact and sexual conduct with a child under age 10 in 2014.

Sean Pratt, 35, was sentenced in Miami County Common Pleas Court. 

Pratt pleaded guilty in October to two counts of sexual battery and three counts of gross sexual imposition as part of a deal in which prosecutors recommended the 30-year sentence. He was sentenced by Judge Jeannine Pratt. 

Hmmm. Any relation? Apparently not!

Pratt was arrested in late summer by sheriff’s investigators after the victim told a friend she was sexually abused. A parent notified investigators. The parent wrote in her statement that she believed the child "will never truly get over this." 

Sean Pratt declined comment before sentencing. County Prosecutor Tony Kendell said the sentence was "justified and appropriate." 

Judge Pratt said the 30-year term was needed to protect the public "so you can't do this again." 

Sean Pratt was classified as a Tier III sex offender, requiring lifetime registration of his address with law enforcement following release from prison.

Monroe Twnshp, Ohio

Pennsylvania man facing 45 counts of

sexual abuse of children

69 NEWS

GLENSIDE, Pa. - Police arrested a Glenside man after finding 45 images of child pornography on his cell phone.

James Wheelock, 50, is facing 45 counts of sexual abuse of children -- child pornography as well as criminal use of a communications facility. 

Officials say a witness provided police with two images taken from Wheelock's cellphone, which depicted children under the age of 18 engaged in sexual acts and poses. 

A search warrant was then executed at Wheelock's residence where electronic devices were seized. After examination, police found 45 images of child pornography in addition to messages between Wheelock and another person on his cell phone. Officials say the messages revealed the two spoke about wanting to sexually assault a 7-year-old child and 8-month-old baby. 

Wheelock was arrested Nov. 22 with bail set at $100,000. He currently remains in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility unable to post bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 5.

Glenside, PA

New Orleans sex offender booked with 550 counts of possession of child pornography

By Marie Simoneaux mariesimoneaux@nola.com,

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

A New Orleans man and registered sex offender was booked Wednesday (Nov. 22) with more than 500 counts of possession of child pornography, according to the Louisiana Department of Justice.

Jonathan Ruiz, 36, was booked into Orleans Justice Center jail on a total of 550 counts related to his possession of "sexual abuse images and videos of children under the age of 13," according to a Department of Justice news release.

Ruiz was twice before convicted of possession of child porn: in 2002 in the 21st Judicial District Court, which includes Livingston, St. Helena and Tangipahoa parishes; and in 2006 in Jefferson Parish. He was convicted in 2015 in Orleans Parish for failure to register as a sex offender.

In May 2016, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Correction's sex offender assessment panel successfully sought to declare Ruiz a "child sexual predator," meaning he would remain on supervised probation for his lifetime, correction department spokesman Ken Pastorick said.

Ruiz was most recently incarcerated in Elayn Hunt Correctional Center in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, according to Pastorick. He was released in January 2017.

Additional convictions for Ruiz include simple burglary in 2004 out of the 21st Judicial District Court; and theft of goods and illegal possession of stolen property in 2005 out of Jefferson Parish.

Orleans Parish Magistrate Commissioner Robert Blackburn assigned a public defender to Ruiz's case after he appeared Wednesday in magistrate court. As of early Monday afternoon, Ruiz was being held at Orleans Justice Center without bond.

As a repeat offender, Ruiz will face a fine of up to $75,000 and up to 40 years at hard labor, without parole, probation or suspension of sentence, according to the release.

An investigation by Attorney General Jeff Landry's Cyber Crime Unit, the State of Louisiana Probation and Parole Office, the Orleans District Attorney's Office and the New Orleans Police Department led to Ruiz's arrest, the release states.

"These horrendous Internet crimes against children continuously inflict damage," Landry said in the press release. "Every time one of these videos or images is viewed, the child is re-victimized."

A Tangipahoa man was also arrested during the same investigation, according to the Department of Justice.

Randolph Ard of Kentwood, was booked into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail on 10 counts of possession of child pornography Wednesday, the release states.

According to the national sex offender registry, Ard was convicted of indecent behavior with juveniles and possessing child porn in Louisiana in March 2013 and was released in November 2015.

No lower bail for tennis coach in Oregon child porn case

By Brent Weisberg and KOIN 6 News staff

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A tennis coach accused of sex crimes against children will not be given a lower bail.

Thomas Zachary Rouse, 43, was booked into the Multnomah County Detention Center on April 14, 2016 after a grand jury handed down its third indictment in the case.

The latest indictment alleges four counts of using a child in a display of sexually explicit conduct, four counts of online sexual corruption of a child in the second degree, and 16 counts of encouraging child sexual abuse in the second degree.

Rouse’s bail is set at $1.09 million.

Earlier this month, Rouse’s criminal defense attorney Michael Curtis filed a motion with the court asking that his client’s bail be lowered.

“Mr. Rouse wishes to post funds to secure his release pending trial, but believes that neither he nor his family have adequate funds to post the amount currently necessary,” according to Curtis’ motion.

Curtis wrote that if released, his client would gladly wear a GPS bracelet to allow authorities to track his location.

“If released, Mr. Rouse hopes to work or otherwise do something productive. He is tired 13 of, in effect, being on the shelf,” Curtis wrote.

Records show that authorities came to the conclusion that Rouse may have been trying to flee the country, but Curtis explained that Rouse believed that some of the criminal charges Rouse had been facing would be dismissed.

“Mr. Rouse was optimistic that he could move on and, therefore, was looking for work in his chosen field,” Curtis wrote. “…He did examine the possibility of employment in Britain, among other places, not because he was going to flee there, but because he hoped to start over there.”

The investigation into Rouse began on September 22, 2015 when the Portland Police Bureau received a copy of a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The report was submitted by an online adult dating website. The company reported that a user, later identified as Rouse, was engaging in a chat with another user and reportedly exchanged child pornography.

Multiple subpoenas and search warrants were executed in connection with the case.

The Portland Tribune spoke exclusively with Rouse inside the Multnomah County Detention Center back in September. Rouse, a former tennis Instructor for the City of Portland Parks & Recreation, was originally arrested on October 2, 2015. The Portland Police Bureau said that the charges are not related to Rouse’s former work as a tennis coach.

Rouse’s trial is scheduled for April 2018.

If anyone has information relating to Rouse, contact Detective Cory Stenzel at 503-823-0453, cory.stenzel@portlandoregon.gov.

Alabama man charged with child rape

     

Brandon William Brown, 20, was arrested last week at the Cullman County Detention Center. He was charged with a single count of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12.

Authorities do not release details of cases involving alleged abuse of minors, so there is little additional information about the nature of the charge until Brown has been arraigned.

Brown was arrested last month on a charge of 2nd degree rape in a case that, according to the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office, was connected to an alleged victim who is a minor. His arrest last week came while he was incarcerated at the detention center on that earlier charge.

“I would like to thank the Child Advocacy Center for their commitment to keep children safe and to get them the help they need,” said Sheriff Matt Gentry in a statement. “I would also like to thank our investigators who worked on this case.”

Brown faces a $55,000 property bond, and remains in custody at the detention center.