USA Diving named in federal sex abuse suit
Two divers said they were sexually assaulted at elite diving school
By SCOTT REID | Orange County Register
Two divers have filed a federal class action law suit against USA Diving, former U.S. Olympic team coach John Wingfield and his Indiana diving academy alleging that Wingfield and the academy ignored numerous sexual abuse complaints against coach Johel Ramirez Suarez, who later allegedly sexually assaulted them.
The suit filed in U.S. District Court in Indiana also alleges at least one USA Diving employee knew that Suarez, a coach at Wingfield’s RipFest Diving, had sexually abused one of the Jane Does filing the suit.
Despite this knowledge, USA Diving and Indiana Diving “promoted, endorsed, sanctioned, compensated, and legitimized” Wingfield and RipFest , the suit alleges Suarez sexually assaulted the two divers while they trained and competed for RipFest.
Suarez pled guilty to the sexual abuse of another teenage RipFest diver in Indiana. He was arrested in Hamilton County, Indiana in November 2017 and charged with 32 felony counts of child sexual abuse. He was placed on USA Diving’s banned list in January.
There's a 'banned list'? Boy do we need an investigation into this sport, as we do all sports involving children.
Texas man wanted in case of repeated sex abuse of girl, fugitive for more than a year
By Nicole Perez
SAN ANTONIO - A San Antonio man wanted on charges for a months-long sexual abuse of young girl has avoided arrest for more than one year, law enforcement officials said.
Gregory Reyes, 35, was indicted in September 2017 on a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child.
"The indictment alleged that Reyes sexually assaulted and abused a child multiple times over a period of six months. The victim was under the age of 14 years old," said Deputy U.S. Marshal Chris Bozeman.
Reyes is 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. A photo shows Reyes with facial hair.
"His last known place of residence was on the South Side of San Antonio," Bozeman said.
If you have any information on Reyes' whereabouts, call the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force at 210-657-8500.
Complaint says transgender bathroom policy led to kindergarten assault in Georgia
By Ty Tagami
Students and parents rushed through the rain into Oakhurst Elementary School on Wednesday morning for the first day of the 2018-2019 school year. A parent there has alleged that her daughter, 5, was sexually abused by a “gender fluid” boy in the girl’s bathroom. Photo: Amanda C. Coyne
A Decatur parent is alleging her daughter was sexually abused by another child in an elementary school bathroom last fall, in a federal civil rights complaint that comes amid national turmoil over both sexual abuse and gender identity.
The complaint says the girl, 5, was assaulted in a girls’ bathroom by a “gender fluid” boy last November. Both returned to their classroom and said nothing about it to the teacher, the complaint says.
Decatur schools implemented a policy allowing students to use facilities consistent with their gender identity after a controversial 2016 advisory from the administration of President Barack Obama, which said schools had to do so. President Donald Trump’s administration walked back that advisory after his election. But Decatur schools left its policy in place, though it continued to draw questions and concern from some parents.
Seriously? Kindergarten students should never be considered gender-fluid, or transgender. That is, in itself, child sex abuse. Children should not be considered for such things until well after puberty. The vast majority of gender-confused kids resolve to identify with their biological sex after puberty. Encouraging them to do otherwise is cruel and dramatically increases the probability of them attempting suicide.
The complaint, filed by Norcross attorney Vernadette Broyles under the federal Title IX law, says the City Schools of Decatur created a hostile environment for girls by “eliminating their expectation of privacy from the opposite sex.” It says the girl, who was a kindergartner at Oakhurst Elementary School, was pushed against a wall and her genitals were forcibly touched by a fellow student who had followed her to the bathroom.
A school district spokeswoman issued a brief statement saying the district was “aware of the unfounded allegations” and “we fully disagree with their characterization of the situation.”
The statement said there would be no further comment because it was a pending legal matter.
If the 'characterization of the situation' is anywhere near accurate, the boy needs some serious help. To sexually abuse someone at the age of 5 or 6 suggests a very disturbed child and probably a very disturbing home-life.
New York child molester shakes uncontrollably
as he is sentenced to 12 years
By Thomas J. Prohaska 
To a soundtrack of rattling handcuffs caused by trembling arms he seemingly couldn't control, Paul D. Hald of Niagara Falls was sentenced Wednesday to 12 years in prison for repeated sexual abuse of a Falls girl from May 2014 to March 2017.The frightened Hald and his attorney, David J. Mansour, asked Niagara County Judge Sara Sheldon for the minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years for Hald's pre-indictment plea to attempted first-degree course of sexual conduct against a child.
"What you did, you could be going away for life, and you think 3 1/2 is OK?" Sheldon retorted. She added 15 years of post-release supervision for Hald, 52, of Eighth Street.
"I'm sure he wasn't shaking when he subjected this girl to multiple acts of sexual abuse," First Assistant District Attorney Holly E. Sloma said.
Virginia man gets 27 years for producing child porn
A Dinwiddie County man was sentenced Wednesday to 27 years in prison for producing images of child sexual abuse involving two minors.
Thomas James Burke, 34, sexually abused two minors younger than 11 last year and produced images of the abuse with his cellphone.
Federal agents searched Burke’s residence after images he produced were discovered by Australian authorities on the computers of an Australian under investigation for child pornography.
Burke sent those images and other child pornography to the Australian using his cellphone. An additional image produced by Burke was also recovered off a phone in Oregon.
U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck also ordered Burke to pay $97,500 in restitution.
Texas man who police say poses as pediatrician
sought in child sexual assaults
sought in child sexual assaults
By Phil Archer
HOUSTON - Houston police are asking for help finding a man charged with sexually assaulting two children in the same day at a north Houston apartment complex.
Police said that on Aug. 1, 2017, Smith raped a 15-year-old girl in his apartment in the 12100 block of Northborough Drive, and then fondled an 8-year-old boy the same day.
Neighbors said they remember Smith from the odd get-up he often wears: hospital scrubs and a lab coat. Police said he’s tried at times to pass himself off as a pediatrician.
“He would just walk around here. We would have to keep our blinds closed. I have kids, I got five of them, and he would peek in our apartment and I had to keep my blinds closed all the time every time he was at home,” Stephanie Johnson said.
Smith moved out and neighbors said they haven’t seen him around the apartments in a couple of months, but one woman told us she spotted him at nearby Greenspoint Mall a couple of weeks ago, again dressed in scrubs.
The fact he’s still on the streets worries grandmother Gwendolyn Henry.
"Anything could happen you know, and this guy is supposed to be a big guy, too. He can come and overpower anybody, you know, under his size," Henry said.
Police said Smith is tall, standing 6 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing 210 pounds. Police said the top of his head is deformed in a way that might give the illusion that he’s wearing his hair in braids.
The Houston Police Department's Special Victims Unit is asking anyone who has seen him or knows where he is to call Houston Crime Stoppers.
3 adults in 'sinister' love triangle accused of raping 3 children in California
Disturbing details emerge in Brain Surgeon/nurse/another woman's twisted relationship
Kohut allegedly sought to use video of the rapes against Emily Stephens, who threatened to reveal to Kohut's family that her unborn baby is his.
Juan Sanchez, with the Watsonville Police Department, testified that Kohut directed former nurse Rashel Brandon to film the assaults so he could use them as leverage against Stephens, KSBW-TV reports.
All three adults are accused of having sex with the children, who were 2, 5 and 10 years old at the time of the crime.
 |
| Brandon/Stephens |
Detective Kelli Fretas said on the stand that Kohut himself was a victim of sex abuse as a child.
"As a young child, he had been molested by his older nanny and her two young daughters, and he believed that to be a beautiful experience," Fretas said.
The relationship between the adults and the children was not disclosed.
Stephens and Brandon are facing 45 and 44 counts of rape, respectively.
Illinois man guilty in child sex abuse case
In the courtroom
Kaitlin Cordes Daily NewsEFFINGHAM — An Effingham County jury on Thursday found an Altamont man guilty on all three counts in a child sexual abuse case.
The prosecution rested following the first day of testimony on Wednesday, but motioned to reopen its case after Jones' attorney, Scott Schmidt, moved to introduce Facebook messages between Jones and the victim's mother as evidence. Schmidt's request was denied, and the judge allowed the state to call its additional witness.
Child Forensic Interviewer Robyn Carr provided testimony regarding her interview with the 14-year-old girl on June 1, 2017. Carr testified that she interviewed the girl for an hour and 15 minutes, two days after the assault took place, and told the jury that children are often afraid to talk about crimes they have witnessed or experienced.
She also confirmed that the girl told her that Jones had threatened her boyfriend's life during the ordeal. The state chose to rest following Carr's testimony, opening the floor to the defense.
Schmidt brought Detective Cpl. Darin Deters to the stand to address the data taken from Jones' phone, in particular, three pictures received by Jones from the victim's mother. Schmidt asserted that a photo of the girl's mother and Jones taken May 30, 2017, and a picture of the girl's mother hiking up a skirt to reveal her leg proved that Jones and the victim's mother were having an affair.
Schmidt told the jury that Jones and the girl's mother were secretly having an affair while the mother was married and that many of Jones' actions the day of the incident either did not happen as the girl had testified or were in relation to the mother.
Jones took the stand Thursday to provide his own account of the alleged relationship and what took place in May of last year. He said that while he had known the girl's mother since high school, a romantic and sexual relationship had not started until 2016.
"We had been seeing each other when we could get a chance," Jones said.
Jones confirmed that the girl, her mother and two brothers had been at his house the day of the incident, but testified that both the girl and her mother were asked to do house work the following day, not just the girl. He also refuted the statement that arrangements had been made for the girl to spend the night at his home.
Jones said the girl, her mother and one of her brothers had left his residence for nearly 30 minutes to get feminine products for the girl. Upon their return, Jones said the mother brought the other boy home but left the girl.
Jones testified that he believed the mother would return for the girl, bring her back home and come back to spend time with Jones. He said he knew his sister, who has lived with him for three years, would be back home from work by the time the girl's mother would return, so he decided to get a hotel room.
Jones said the girl's mother had not returned to the residence, so he took the girl with him to the liquor store because he did not want to leave the minor unattended. Jones claimed the Jack Daniels wine coolers he bought at the liquor store were for the girl's mother, and he had no intention of bringing the girl to the hotel room with him but intended it as a place to hang out with her mother.
Schmidt asked why a hotel room was chosen over his own home. Jones responded that his bedroom and much of his house was being renovated at the time.
Jones also refuted the testimony of Nathan Shouse about a case in Indiana. He said Shouse and his sister had broken into Jones' house, burned his arm hair with a Butane lighter and as a result, Jones beat the boy.
Assistant State's Attorney Ian Warren questioned why Jones had told arresting Deputy Brandon Murray in an initial interview that he believed the girl was either age 17 or 18, contradicting part of his testimony in which he stated he knew the girl was 14. Warren also asked why Jones didn't leave the girl home when going to book the hotel room.
"Why would you take her with you if you thought she was an adult? She could stay by herself," Warren said.
In his closing argument, Warren told the jury that Jones likely told Murray he thought the girl was older because he knew it was the age of consent. He also encouraged the jury to consider the Indiana case, saying Shouse had nothing to gain by coming to another state and testifying against Jones.
Warren also reminded the jury that, in Jones' interview with Murray, Jones denied going to the Relax Inn despite being captured on surveillance video and being presented with a credit card receipt. Warren said that in that interview, Jones also immediately referred to a victim's body part despite claiming he knew nothing of an incident involving the girl.
"I find it very telling that when the deputy asked him if he touched her inappropriately, he immediately mentioned her breasts," Warren said.
Schmidt said in his closing argument that the evidence in the case made it clear that the victim was wrong and confused by Jones' actions. He argued that the girl had a motive in the incident as she wanted to see her boyfriend rather than be at Jones' home with her mother and her mother's "boyfriend".
Schmidt alluded to the Kavanaugh Senate hearing, saying that just one statement, true or false, can impact someone's life like it has Jones'. "A single allegation can give you a reputation and can haunt you for years and for decades," Schmidt said.
After the guilty verdict, State's Attorney Bryan Kibler requested Jones' bond be revoked, and Judge Kevin Parker approved, placing Jones in custody. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 6.
New York man indicted on child sexual abuse charges
Gazette Staff Report @JakeLahut BALLSTON SPA — A Glens Falls man was indicted in Saratoga County Court on Tuesday on multiple felonies related to child sexual abuse, according to the District Attorney's Office.
The Saratoga County indictment includes four felony counts of sexual assault against a child.
Fisher was also indicted on felonies for using a child in a sexual performance, promoting a sexual performance by a child, disseminating indecent material to minors and two counts of luring a child, in addition to a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child.
He is being represented by public defender Matthew Maiello.
Good luck with that, Mr Maiello!
Washington police arrest child sexual assault suspect
Author: KING StaffTips from the public helped detectives locate and arrest a 50-year-old sex offender Wednesday.
Police released video and photos of the suspect back in September after the assault of a young girl at Ranch 99 Market in Edmonds.
At that time, police said they were also investigating a second incident that took place at H-Mart in Lynnwood.
Officers said encourage anyone with information about the suspect to contact police.
Knowing his name might help!!!!
Jury takes six minutes to find Texan guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child
By Holly StoufferFALLS COUNTY, TX (KXXV) -
The trial for Wiley Kay Curl started on Tuesday morning and wrapped up around 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
Gilliam said the victim is a 13-year-old boy who is in seventh grade. The boy is a distant relative of Curl’s wife. She said the abuse was going on for three years.
Gilliam said there is a special range of punishment for this offense. This is a first-degree felony that is punishable by 25 to 99 years or life in prison. There is no parole for this offense.
Curl is 68-years-old and gave a confession that was heard by the jury during his trial.
Gilliam said the victim told his school counselor about the abuse nearly a year ago.
The victim is now staying with his grandmother.
Curl will be sentenced next Thursday at 10 a.m.
Falls Co., TX
Jury convicts San Antonio man in brutal child sex attack blamed on dogs
By Elizabeth Zavala
A San Antonio man was found guilty Thursday of sexually assaulting a toddler whose mother tried to explain away the child’s severe injuries as a dog attack.
Jurors began deliberations at 10:25 a.m. and came to their decision just after 4 p.m. Cardenas will be sentenced at a later date by Visiting Judge Philip Kazen, who presided over the trial that started Monday. Cardenas faces a minimum of 25 years to a maximum of life in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
According to authorities, Herrera called 911 on Dec. 31, 2016, to report that dogs had viciously attacked her daughter, who at the time was 21 months old. Herrera told the Bexar County sheriff’s deputies that arrived on scene that the child had wandered away from their home in South Bexar County.
The girl was taken to University Hospital for treatment of numerous sharp injuries to her genital and anal areas.
In her closing statement, prosecutor Erica Bryant told the jury that although much of their evidence was circumstantial — no weapon was found — they could convict him based on the fact that Cardenas had care, custody and control of the girl, “was in need of having sex” and was home alone with the child at the time of the attack.
“He knows (the baby) was in the house, and he was in control of the circumstances,” she told the panel.
Jurors, who were shown graphic photographs of how the child was sexually mutilated by an unknown sharp object, were spared viewing the grisly images again during closing arguments.
Defense attorney Denny Callahan told the jury in his closing argument that the prosecutors’ case “rests on a bias that a mother would not do that to a child, and that leaves him. I caution you, don’t do that (show bias),” he told the panel. “You’re supposed to find the truth.”
He said after Herrera discovered the injuries, she was afraid she would get in trouble with Child Protective Services. “She took the child and got stuck in the sand instead of calling 911,” Callahan told the jury. “He (Cardenas) didn’t do that.”
Testimony established that when Herrera attempted to take her daughter to get medical help, she got stuck in sand up to the frame of her car. She then spent additional time texting with Cardenas to resolve the situation before she called 911.
He told the jury to put any hidden biases aside and find Cardenas not guilty.
In his closing argument, prosecutor Leo Gonzalez apologized for the jury having to see such horrific, graphic images that he said affected everyone involved in the case — from jurors to law enforcement, medical personnel and investigators.
“They’ve never seen anything like this,” he told the panel. “These images will never leave their minds.”
He reminded the panel that a video interview shown to them after Cardenas’ arrest showed he had no concern for what happened to his girlfriend’s daughter. “He’s hungry, he’s yawning, he was shaking and had slurred speech. The defendant asked for food,” Gonzalez said.
As the prosecutor turned toward the defendant, he said, “You had her blood in your hands.”
Gonzalez reminded the jury of a text exchange where Cardenas told Herrera to go over to the house to put the baby to sleep. “He said, we can mess around all night,” he said. “He needed to have sex with someone that night."
“This case comes down to logic and common sense,” Gonzalez said before asking the jury to render a guilty verdict. “It’s not a dog.”
Assistant S.C. fire chief charged for sex offenses with young children that occurred in the 1990s
Dal Kalsi GREENVILLE, SC (FOX Carolina) - Greenville County deputies said Wednesday a 57-year-old man was arrested for sex crimes involving young children that occurred in the 1990s.
Investigators began looking into the case in September after learning of allegations of sexual abuse that occurred between 1995 and 1996.
The incidents involved one child who was between 3 and 4 years old when the abuse took place and another child who was 7 at the time of the abuse, according to warrants.
The Wade Hampton Fire Department confirmed Thursday that Smith was an assistant chief with the department. Smith was suspended without pay pending the outcome of the investigation.
Smith is being held in the Greenville County Detention Center on no bond.
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