Half-brother turned stepdad accused of years of child molestation in Oakland
By ANGELA RUGGIERO | aruggiero@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
OAKLAND — The trial for the man charged with 17 counts related to child molestation and abuse against his half-brother and stepsister, who became his stepchildren, began Tuesday.
Bostyon Johnson, 36, is accused of years of child molestation and assault against “John Doe,” his half-brother and stepsister, and “Jane Doe 2.” The two became his stepchildren when he married their mother — also the woman he originally knew as a stepmother.
He also is accused of the abuse of another girl, who is a cousin. The charges against him include oral copulation with a child under 14, lewd acts with a child and continuous sex abuse on the three alleged victims.
Johnson’s case sounds like a Greek tragedy: With 13 brothers and sisters, he never knew his biological father until he showed up to Johnson’s foster home in Southern California around the year 2000 when he was 18, said his defense attorney Kellie Blumin in her opening statements Tuesday.
His father and stepmother took them into their home in Oakland, but from there, he formed a relationship with the woman. Eventually, his father kicked him out. But he moved back in later, and started a sexual relationship with his former stepmother after his father and stepmother split. After several years, when he was 22 and she was 35, they got married.
But later, his ex-stepmother and now wife was hit and killed by a CHP motorcycle in August 2012 when she was jay-walking on MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland. It was after her death that the allegations of sexual abuse surfaced from her children and niece.
“Jane Doe 2,” who has no biological relationship to Johnson, is alleged to have been abused starting in 2002, when she was 14 years old or younger, until at least 2008. Her brother, Johnson’s half-brother, was also allegedly abused starting in 2006 and ended when he was about 16 years old in 2012, John Doe said. The cousin “Jane Doe 1” alleged abuse occurred in 2012.
John Doe, now 23, took the witness stand on Tuesday afternoon, and testified about the years of abuse. The man, who drove from Sacramento to take the witness stand, was mostly quiet and looked down during his short responses. He told prosecutor Peter McGuiness that this was “unsettling” and that he felt ashamed to be there.
“It’s a shameful thing to talk about,” he said.
It is, indeed! But it is more shameful to be quiet and allow it to continue. Cudos for taking the stand!
Johnson first exposed himself to him when he was about 7 or 8 years old, he said. Even though he told his mother about it, she did not believe him. Then the allegations escalated to sexual abuse, when Johnson would bring him into the master bedroom, at times showing him pornography and then molesting him, he testified.
Despite the family, including John Doe and Jane Doe 2, their older bother, mother and Johnson moving homes several times, the abuse continued, and didn’t stop until he was 16, he said. The first person he told about the abuse was an investigator for this case, he said.
But defense attorney Blumin argued in her opening statements that John Doe’s sister, Jane Doe 2, blamed Johnson for a lot of the tragedy in their lives. The girl blamed Johnson when their father moved out, or even when their mother was hit by the CHP motorcycle and killed, the attorney said.
The root of the problem, the girl believed, was Johnson, Blumin said. As for her brother’s allegations of abuse, Blumin said his life turned upside-down when his parents divorced, and he was devastated when his mother died. But, he couldn’t stand Johnson, and wanted to support his sister “by bringing Bostyon down,” Blumin said.
The cousin, also one of the alleged victims, was mad at Johnson for not getting her a birthday present of Jordan sneakers years ago, Blumin said. The girl struggled with her sexuality, and wanting her mother to accept her, told her mom that she was gay because Johnson molested her, Blumin said.
Blumin asked the jury to “analyze the case based on facts, not emotions.”
The trial continues Wednesday before Alameda County Superior Court Judge Thomas Rogers.
Former Boys and Girls Club official sentenced to 150 yrs
for sexual abuse of underage boys
Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Robert LaForge sentenced Kilgore to six consecutive 25-years-to-life terms. Four of the six counts involved the same victim.
"It is clear the defendant destroyed the lives of these children and his sentence is well-deserved," LaForge said.
The offenses occurred at Kilgore's home and at local swimming pools between 2011 and 2016 when the boys were 14 or younger, Deputy District Attorney Javier Vaca said. None of the sexual contact with the boys occurred at the Boys & Girls Clubs.
Kilgore worked at the club for 10 years before resigning in 2013.
Healdsburg police received a report of suspicious behavior by Kilgore to two boys ages 11 and 12 at the Park Point Health Club in Healdsburg in August 2016, and Kilgore was arrested on Sept. 19, 2016. Police said some of the sexual conduct occurred on overnight trips when Kilgore served as a mentor.
Sex offender still at large following wild RV chase across L.A. and Kern counties
Melissa Etehad
A man driving a motor home with two children on board leads police on a chase across Los Angeles and Kern counties. (KTLA)
A manhunt is underway for a registered sex offender and parolee who led police on an hours-long car chase Tuesday in his motor home with two of his young children on board, authorities said.
He later abandoned the vehicle and the two children, who are now back with their mother.
Sheriff's officials said that Stephen Houk is considered armed and dangerous
Capt. Eddie Hernandez from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Major Crimes Bureau said law enforcement officials think Houk may be in Northern California. "We have put out wanted posters with his name and picture on it," Hernandez said.
Houk's wife told officers that earlier Tuesday, he had pointed a revolver at her face, Hernandez said. Authorities said they could not find a weapon in the ditched motor home, leading them to think Houk might be carrying it.
Houk has been on the run for almost two years and has been living in his motor home with his wife and two children as they left Oregon, Hernandez said. "They made their way from Oregon, through Arizona and had been hanging out in Malibu and the Calabasas area, camping the night before," he said.
Officials said that Houk is a wanted man in Oregon, where he is registered as a sex offender. In 2002, Houk was convicted of sodomy and sexual abuse, according to records from the Oregon Judicial Department. The 46-year-old is sought in Santa Clarita for assault with a deadly weapon, child abduction, terrorist threats and evading authorities.
Houk escaped from authorities on foot Tuesday after his motor home got stuck in an almond orchard in a rural area north of Bakersfield.
The chase began shortly before 3 p.m. near Hollywood Boulevard when Los Angeles police officers spotted the RV. He then drove to the northbound 5 Freeway, heading through Santa Clarita, Castaic and Newhall for hours until reaching Kern County.
Once there, Houk led officers on a chase heading north on Highway 99 through Bakersfield, where he eventually ended up on a rural road in an almond orchard, said Officer Robert Rodriguez, a spokesman for the California Highway Patrol.
Large trees and thick brush obstructed officers' view of the vehicle. "During the course of the pursuit, the suspect went through the orchard, and it created a lot of dust in the area," Rodriguez said. "It looked like he was going to try to drive in between the trees."
Houk continued driving through the orchard, but his motor home eventually got stuck in soggy ground. With dust still swirling in the air, Houk got out of the RV, leaving his two children behind, and fled on foot.
Officers with the Kern County Sheriff's Office and three other agencies searched for Houk on the ground and from the air but were unable to find him.
It wasn't until after Houk disappeared that his 3-year-old son emerged from the vehicle. Officers later inspected the motor home, where they found an 11-month old girl, Rodriguez said.
"The kids didn't seem visually hurt, but we did have them medically cleared and given back to the mom," Rodriguez said. "The little 3-year-old didn't know what was going on, and I'm glad it was that way because it was a horrible experience for them to go through."
Officers gave the children stickers and a stuffed animal, Rodriguez said.
Oregon man charged with sodomizing 4 y/o child
A 54 year old man is in jail, charged with child sex crimes.
He was charged with two counts of first degree sodomy and one count of first degree sex abuse.
Koberstein says Short was a friend of the victims family and the alleged abuse took place in the last couple of months.
The victim is four years. Michael Short was initially booked on $1 million dollars bail.
Oregon man gets 50 years in prison for
child sex abuse
by Associated PressBEND, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for sexually abusing a young relative of a woman he dated.
All the charges fall under Jessica's Law, which in Oregon mandates a minimum prison sentence of 25 years for first-degree sex crimes in which a victim is younger than 12.
Gassner was the defense's lone witness. He has denied the allegations, but authorities say they located a pair of the victim's underwear containing Gassner's DNA.
Maine man sentenced to life in prison on
child sex abuse charges
By Staff Reports / yccs@seacoastonline.comPORTLAND -- A former Wells man will has been sentenced to life in federal prison on child sex abuse charges.
According to court records and trial evidence, on two occasions during the summer of 2010, Gaudet traveled between Maine and Pennsylvania with an eight-year-old child intending to engage in sexual activity with her. On both occasions, he sexually assaulted the child. The investigation began in 2014 after the child reported the abuse. In 2012, Gaudet was convicted in New Hampshire Superior Court for sexually assaulting another minor in 2001 and 2005.
Consecutive sentence / No parole
Judge Singal ordered that the life sentence run consecutive to the sentence in the New Hampshire case. Under federal law, Gaudet will not be eligible for parole.
In imposing the sentence, Singal stated, “The degree of cruelty displayed here is virtually beyond belief... I cannot imagine a more serious offense.”
The investigation was conducted by the Biddeford, Gorham, Kennebunk, Wells, Wakefield (New Hampshire) and Pocono Township (Pennsylvania) Police Departments; the New Hampshire Correctional Facility; the Carroll County (New Hampshire) Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Upstate NY man charged with child sex abuse
JIM RONDENELLI
Investigators with the Oneida County Child Advocacy Center have charged 25-year old Javel Boone with sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a child.
They say Boone had sexual contact with a child under the age of 17 in Utica.
The victim has been offered counseling services through the Child Advocacy Center.
Cop wore secret wire before arresting NY music teacher in child sex case
By Douglass Dowty ddowty@syracuse.com
Syracuse, NY -- A defense lawyer today sought to suppress wiretapped evidence collected by a state trooper before the arrest of an East Syracuse music teacher on child sex charges.
Today's hearing was to determine whether evidence collected by state police Investigator Bill Casey could be used against Waite at trial.
County Court Judge Stephen Dougherty had previously ruled -- based on an earlier hearing -- that the wiretapped evidence was admissible because Waite was not in custody at the time.
But defense lawyer David Zukher today called Waite's wife to the witness stand. The wife, who has since gotten back together with Waite, testified that the investigator had told her that he was going to arrest Waite on the day in question.
That proved that the investigator had no intention of letting Waite go, Zukher argued, and therefore comments Waite made before arrest that day should be suppressed due to an illegal interrogation.
Prosecutor Jordan Aiello argued that the investigator hadn't made up his mind when he went to speak with Waite that day. But after Waite's comments and hand gestures (which were not revealed in court today), the investigator decided to arrest him.
The fact Casey told the defendant's wife that he planned to arrest Waite was a simplified explanation of what the investigator planned to do, the prosecutor argued. It didn't make sense to explain every step to a civilian.
In fact, Casey planned to talk to Waite and determine at that point whether he was going to arrest him or not, the prosecutor asserted, apparently referring to Casey's testimony.
Zukher pointed out that the investigator arrested Waite as soon as he asked for a lawyer. But Aiello noted that the legal standard is whether Waite would have felt free to go, not what Casey ultimately intended to do.
Dougherty, the judge, agreed. In this case, Casey came to Waite's music shop and the defendant allowed him in and agreed to speak to him, the judge noted. But the judge did not issue his final ruling as to whether the wiretapped evidence could be used at trial.
Waite is facing a long prison sentence if convicted of the sex abuse. He remains free on bail until trial.
NJ man charged with filming underage girls
performing sex acts
Andrew Ford, @AndrewFordA Jersey Shore cargo pilot was accused of filming underage girls in the Philippines performing sex acts.
Frank William Maile, 62, of New Egypt, was arrested Tuesday and charged with one count of producing visual depictions of child sexual abuse outside the United States, with the intent that the depictions be imported into the United States, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito.
Maile is retired from the U.S. Air Force, holds several aviation licenses and frequently travels abroad as a pilot including to the Philippines.
He was investigated after authorities found an image of child sexual abuse on his MacBook Pro during a search when he reentered the U.S. April 6 from a trip abroad, arriving in Huntsville, Alabama, according to a federal court document. The document doesn't say where he was coming from on that trip.
A further search of Maile's electronic devices found a trove of "original depictions of child sexual abuse" including images and videos of "several victims," according to the court document.
Investigators determined that he corresponded over a period of years with someone in the Philippines who "appears to be a pimp or arranger of sexual encounters with minors," the document shows.
In 2013, Maile and the arranger began discussing Maile having sex with two underage sisters, the document shows. Maile suggested in 2015 making a video of him having sex with the girls, which he said he and the arranger could sell.
In the search of Maile's devices, investigators found images of prepubescent Asian girls performing sexual acts which the investigators believe are the sisters who Maile discussed, according to the document.
Sex offender sentenced after admitting abuse of young girl in North Carolina
Sam DeGrave, sdegrave@citizen-times.com HENDERSONVILLE — A South Carolina man who spent five years on the run will spend the next 23 years in prison after admitting he sexually abused a young girl he knew.
"It is gratifying, to say the least, to be able to prosecute this man for using this child for his own perverted pleasure," he said. "Children are to be treasured, not used. No child should have to experience this type of abuse."
Ross will be 90 before his sentence is finished, but for years it seemed as though he'd never see the inside of a cell, Newman said. Prosecutors were unsure whether they'd ever be able to bring a case against Ross after he fled from law enforcement nearly 6 years ago.
A family member of the victim reported him to the police and to the Department of Social Services in October 2012, Newman said. The abuse happened at some point between 2011 and 2012. At the time, Ross would've been about 60.
Henderson County deputy sheriffs searched for Ross but couldn't find him for questioning. Two months later, he sent them a letter postmarked from Asheville. In his letter, Ross told his pursuers he did nothing wrong and he would be leaving the area never to return.
For nearly five years, law enforcement had no idea where Ross was until the victim's family member tracked him to Greenwood, South Carolina, and notified police, Newman said.
At the request of the Henderson County Sheriff's Office, the victim's family member called Ross several times. In one of the calls, which were all recorded, Ross admitted to the sexual abuse, Newman said.
Deputy sheriffs from Henderson and Greenwood counties arrested Ross in August 2017 and interviewed him in South Carolina, where he confessed.
"Many times we have cases where we believe that a crime has occurred, but the evidence is just incomplete for a variety of reasons," Newman said. "In this case we didn't have the suspect, and that was just frustrating, but we got it done."
Illinois Man Faces Child Sex Crime Charge
By Tim Moran, Patch Staff CHICAGO, IL - A Mount Greenwood man is out on bond after police charged him with aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 13. According to 19th Ward Ald. Matt O'Shea, Casey Larsen is not allowed outside his home other than to travel to and from court.
Larsen lives in the 11300 block of South Millard Avenue. He posted 10 percent of a $75,000 bond after his arrest and is currently on home confinement with electronic monitoring.
Chicago police did not immediately issue additional details related to his arrest.
Larsen's next scheduled court date is Wednesday, May 16 at 9 a.m. at the George N. Leighton Criminal Courts Building at 2650 S. California Ave. in Chicago.
O'Shea said he will work with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and "advocate for an aggressive prosecution" of Larsen.
The U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Task Force assisted Chicago police in the investigation that led to the arrest.
Mount Greenwood, IL
Lawyers struggle to seat jury in Michigan
child sex abuse case
Don't let men babysit children!!!!!!!!
By JULIE SWIDWA - HP Staff WriterST. JOSEPH — Lawyers ran out of potential jurors Tuesday before being able to seat a panel to hear the case against Richard Hopkins.
Hopkins, 66, (Seriously? He looks more like 86) is on trial on several charges related to the alleged sexual abuse of two little girls he was babysitting for at his home in Lake Township. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
One potential juror was released from the panel after telling Judge Arthur Cotter that he is sickened by the allegations and cannot fairly hear a case involving abuse of children. Another potential juror told the judge she is a nurse, works with women and children and has seen abuse injuries and cannot be objective.
Other potential jurors were dismissed after saying they’ve been represented by Parish in the past, they have plane tickets for vacations or they would, for some reason or another, be unable to be fair and impartial. One said he has a funeral to attend Thursday. The trial is expected to last all week, and likely continue into next week.
Hopkins is charged with six counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child under the age of 13, four counts of 2nd-degree CSC with a child under the age of 13, four counts of distributing obscene material to a child and two counts of possession of child sexually abusive material.
At preliminary hearings in 2017, two young sisters each testified that Hopkins was their family’s landlord and occasionally babysat for them. They each described occasions in which Hopkins told them to take their clothes off and touched them inappropriately. They also told the court last year that Hopkins would show them pictures of himself and other people naked, and told them not to tell anyone.
Lawyers are trying to seat a panel of 14 jurors, two of whom will become alternates at the end of the case. By the end of Tuesday, 13 jurors were seated and lawyers were continuing to question them, and some could still be dismissed.
Hopkins is being held in the Berrien County jail without bond.
2 Christian sect leaders face more charges in New Mexico
Associated PressGRANTS, N.M. – Two leaders of a paramilitary religious sect with anti-Semitic leanings and rocked by child sexual abuse allegations are facing new charges.
Those charges were added to the 18 filed against each of the Greens, alleging kidnapping and child abuse, among others. The new charges allege the Greens attempted to hide children after a raid of their commune by sheriff's deputies, and both conspired with another person to commit tampering with evidence.
The married couple has said they've done nothing wrong.
Last year, authorities raided the sect's secluded Fence Lake, New Mexico, compound over concerns of child abuse. The Cibola County Sheriff's Office began an investigation after 13-year-old Enoch Miller died from a probable infectious disease.
Authorities said the trustees of the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps own thousands of acres of land and benefited from a wealthy high-ranking member who aided them in avoiding law enforcement agencies by hiding children.
Those holdings and regular deceptions by leaders, authorities said, made it difficult for the small Cibola County Sheriff's Office to investigate allegations of child abuse that former members say went on for years.
After the raid, deputies arrested four more members in two vans filled with 11 children. The sheriff's office said the members, under investigation for not reporting the birth of children, were seeking to flee to the sect's Colorado location.
A number of members face various charges ranging from child abuse to bribery and not reporting a birth. All have pleaded not guilty.
The Greens opened Free Love Ministries in 1982 with four communal houses in Sacramento, California. The Greens had little ministry training but attracted about 50 members and operated a military structure like the Salvation Army.
Maura Alana Schmierer, a former member, later sued the group for locking her in a shed without a toilet and for forcing her to give up legal custody of three of her children. A judge in 1989 awarded her $1.08 million. But the group fled California for Oregon and later resurfaced near El Paso, Texas, and then in western New Mexico.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has listed the sect as a hate group after it published anti-Muslim and anti-gay stories in pamphlets and on its website.
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