Colorado Springs church staffer confesses to
child sexual assault, luring
By: Scott Harrison KRDO
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Police in Colorado Springs and Fountain say that a church communications director in Colorado Springs has confessed to illegal and inappropriate conduct with an underage girl.
According to a court document obtained by KRDO NewsChannel 13, police arrested Stephen Houlihan, 28, a week ago on suspicion of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust, Internet luring of a child and obscenity.
KRDO has confirmed that Houlihan is married and works as a pastor at Fellowship of the Rockies church in southwest Colorado Springs.
The document indicates that the victim, who turned 16 last month, lives in Fountain and was 15 when much of the behavior in question occurred.
According to the document, police began investigating last week, after the victim's mother found inappropriate messages from Houlihan on her cell phone.
Police say Houlihan and the victim communicated primarily on Instagram, and that he sent her several sexually explicit photos and repeatedly expressed a desire to have sex with her.
According to the document, Houlihan and the victim spent some time together and kissed.
The document also indicates that Houlihan was preparing to move to Texas for a new job and wanted to continue the relationship with the victim.
Child sexual assault and Internet luring of a child are Class 4 felonies in Colorado, each punishable by a maximum prison sentence of six years and a maximum fine of $500,000.
Obscenity is a lesser Class 6 felony, punishable by a maximum prison sentence of 18 months and a maximum fine of $100,000.
Houlihan is free on bond and is scheduled for a court appearance Monday.
Suspected child abuser was heavily involved
in shocked Virginia community
Brad Zinn, Staunton News Leader
Kris Losh, who then was a WKDW radio host, introduces a band in Gypsy Hill Park on July 4, 2017 to cap America's Birthday Celebration festivities. This year Losh is listed as vice president of the organization that puts on the event. (Photo: David Fritz/The News Leader)
Those were just some of the reactions to Thursday's news that Kristofer Losh, 44, an area radio personality turned educator from Stuarts Draft, had been arrested on eight felony child sex charges. He is accused by authorities of molesting two young boys.
If you can't quite place his name, there's a good chance you've attended an event that Losh emceed.
Known as "Kris Neil" during his radio days, Losh was the morning anchor at WKDW for 17 years and worked at the radio station for 25 years before his departure in 2017.
He was play-by-play announcer for the Waynesboro Generals baseball team, on the board of community organizations and emcee at nearly every major local event of recent years. He was also a local school employee, a wedding deejay and recently began work at the Staunton-Augusta YMCA summer camp.
Losh's many involvements are told through his frequent public Facebook posts, which he made almost daily. However, his Facebook feed went silent after June 1, around the same time investigators began probing the child sex allegations.
While an Augusta County Public Schools employee, Losh also posted frequently online about the children he worked with. Almost every story he shared involved young boys.
There were also numerous Facebook photos of Losh posing with the likes of Taylor Swift, Darius Rucker, Reba McEntire, Jason Aldean, various members of The Statler Brothers and others. Many of the photos appear to have been taken at music award shows or concerts.
Fred Shaner, an Augusta County resident, said Thursday that Losh "seems painfully shy" but had also given a lot of his spare time to local organizations. Shaner said he feels sadness for the alleged victims, Losh, and his family and friends.
"The gut punch they received today is probably a lot stronger than the one I felt, and boy did it knock me back," he said in an email.
Shaner, though, said he also felt anger when hearing about Losh's arrest.
"I am also mad," he said. "I am mad at myself for being in awe of this person. I talked to him at school events, events in the park and in the press box in Waynesboro before I umpire their games. Here I am talking to a 'celebrity' and I am thankful he knows my name (and) my child’s name. I am mad I am so trusting of people, and I could have put my kids in danger - potentially."
Pedophiles are often gregarious and among the most popular people in their communities.
North Texas Man Guilty Of Child Sex Abuse,
Sentenced To Life In Prison
COLLIN COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) – A North Texas man convicted of sexually abusing children has been sentenced to life in prison.
There will be no possibility of parole for Plano resident Miguel Castellanos. The 44-year-old received the sentence after being convicted of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child.
It was in 2017 when one of Castellanos’ victims, a 13-year-old, told her mother that the man had been sexually abusing her since she was nine years old. It was shortly after that revelation when another victim, who was 16-years-old at the time, came forward.
Plano police investigated the claims and both victims were forensically interviewed and gave specific details about the sexual assaults.
After the sentencing Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said, Children everywhere are forever safe from this predator because these brave children found the courage to tell a family member about his terrible and repeated abuse.”
Salisbury, MD teen sentenced on
child sex abuse, rape of <8 y/o
Rose Velazquez, Salisbury Daily Times
A 16-year-old Salisbury boy has been sentenced in a sexual abuse case involving a victim younger than 8 years old.
The Wicomico County State's Attorney's Office said Klin Lavanual Deshield was found guilty in April of sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree rape.
He sexually abused a victim under the age of 8 between September and November of 2018, according to prosecutors.
A Wicomico County Circuit Court judge sentenced Deshield on Thursday, June 13, to 30 years with all but 15 to be served at the Youthful Offender's Program of Patuxent Institution. After his release, he will be on five years supervised probation, as well as required to register and be supervised for life as a sexual offender.
Robinson, TX man charged with child sex abuse
By: Roland Richter
CenTexProud.com
ROBINSON, TX - Following an outcry by a young female victim, a Robinson man has been arrested and charged with continuous sexual abuse of a child.
Jorge A Carbajal was booked into the McLennan County Jail early Friday on the charges.
Though his bond was set at $25,000 he was also named in an immigration hold.
Robinson Police Sergeant Matt Troup said the investigation began back on October 25, 2018 when the 14-year-old victim made the outcry, saying she had been sexually abused over a period of time.
The Criminal Investigation Division took up the case and two forensic interviews were conducted by personnel at the Children's Advocacy Center.
There was also a medical examination.
It was reported that the abuse occurred on multiple occasions at a location within the city limits of Robinson.
Texas man sentenced to 18 years for
sexual abuse of child
By J. NOEL ESPINOZA
San Benito News
A San Benito man with a lengthy criminal record will spend nearly two decades behind bars after being convicted in relation to sexual abuse of a child.
Authorities identified the man as Ruben Corona who was sentenced May 30 in the 138th Cameron County District Court.
Cameron County Sheriff Chief Deputy Gus Reyna confirmed that Corona is still at the Carrizales-Rucker Cameron County Detention Center in Olmito. Chief Deputy Reyna said Corona will not be transferred from the jail in Cameron County until they get a packet, or the paperwork, from the court where he was sentenced.
“Eventually he will,” Reyna said. “Once we receive the packet, then time starts running; the state has 45 days to pick him up.”
Reyna said this case was prepared by San Benito Police. “It was inside the city,” Reyna said, regarding the illicit incident.
138th District Court Administrator Raul Martinez Jr. said the defendant was convicted of charges that include aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child.
A relative of the victim who wished to remain anonymous said Corona has been in trouble with the law for a long time. In April 1994, at the age of 16, Corona was convicted in the brutal killing of a San Benito woman, Diana Conde, 37.
For which, apparently, he received probation!
A second suspect, Joshua Blackstone, 18 at the time, was indicated by Corona as the culprit in the murder. Other witnesses also testified that Corona helped in the murder. Family and law enforcement alike were outraged for the lenient sentence, prompting lawmen to claim that they had never heard of a person convicted for murder receiving probation.
According to Cameron County media, Judge Robert Garza convicted Corona and gave him the maximum sentence allowed by law for probation, including six months in jail, a $5,000 fine ,and 500 hours of community service for his role in the murder.
Garza, at the time judge of the 138th state District Court, the same court that sentenced Corona on May 30 by Judge Arturo Nelson, said that was all he could do. According to reports, Garza admitted at the time that he too was surprised by the jury’s sentence.
After serving six months in jail, Corona was put under surveillance with the possibility of facing up to 10 years in prison if he violated the conditions.
Former assistant at Red Bay, AL School pleads
guilty to child sex abuse charge
BY WHNT NEWS 19
RED BAY, Ala. – A former assistant at Red Bay School will spend the next seven years in prison, if his guilty plea is approved by a judge.
James Horton, 72, entered a guilty plea to one count of Sexual Abuse of a Child under the age of 12. Franklin County District Attorney Joey Rushing tells us the deal requires Horton to serve the full 7-year sentence. He will not be eligible for probation, parole or early release.
The families of the victim agreed to the deal. Sentencing in the case is scheduled for July 29, 2019.
We first reported about Horton in January of 2018. Horton was arrested after complaints about Horton having inappropriate contact with students at the school.
North Beach, San Francisco restaurant manager sentenced for child sexual abuse of 6-11 y/o
Gaspare Giudice recieved 16 years in state prison under a plea deal
MICHAEL BARBA
THE CITY
The former manager of an Italian restaurant in North Beach was sentenced to 16 years in state prison on Thursday morning for sexually abusing a young child, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Gaspare Giudice, 49, was the floor manager of Original U.S. Restaurant at 414 Columbus Ave. when police arrested him in August 2017 for allegedly abusing the child over a five-year period. The abuse is believed to have begun in 2001 when the boy was six years old.
Under a plea agreement with prosecutors last month, Giudice pled guilty to one felony count of continuous sexual assault of a minor, according to the District Attorney’s Office. He initially faced five counts for allegedly sexually assaulting, raping and threatening the victim.
In court records, prosecutors alleged that Giudice acknowledged the sexual assault and apologized to the victim in a December 2016 phone call. Before his arrest in August 2017, he allegedly confessed to the crimes.
In a statement that the mother of the victim prepared for the sentencing, she told Giudice that he “ruined” her relationship with her son and called his actions “despicable.”
“I will never have the opportunity to save my son from you, I can never have those moments, days, years back,” the mother said. “And for that I shall never forgive you.”
Rafael Trujillo, a defense attorney representing Giudice, described the case as a “very difficult situation for everybody. Mr. Giudice, with the support and help of his friends and family, looks forward to the next chapter in his life,” Trujillo said.
Giudice has not worked at Original U.S. Restaurant since his arrest, according to co-owner Alberto Cipollina. “I was surprised that this happened,” Cipollina said. “I never thought that he was that type of person.”
Giudice is in the process of being transferred from County Jail to state prison, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Cullman, AL man found guilty in child sex abuse case
Bullard Benjamin
The Cullman Times
A Cullman County man arrested last year on allegations of child sexual abuse dating back more than three decades has been found guilty in Cullman Circuit Court.
Glen Leon Yarbrough, 78, was convicted this week on a single count of sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12. Because Alabama recognizes no statute of limitations in cases of child sexual abuse, Yarbrough’s arrest came approximately 35 years after the illegal activity.
The case stems from Yarbrough’s March 2018 arrest by the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office, spurred by new accusations last year from a now-adult female family member, in relation to repeated sexual abuses Yarbrough committed against her when she was a child in the early 1980s.
Yarbrough is currently waiting to be sentenced, pending a yet-unscheduled hearing weighing his conviction. He remains in the Cullman County Detention Center.
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