Ex-Tammany, La, captain is link between
Strain’s sex abuse, federal corruption cases
BY RAMON ANTONIO VARGAS
Former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain, leaves the St. Tammany Parish Courthouse on Columbia Street in Covington, La., after he pleads not guilty to rape and incest charges, Thursday, August 15, 2019. Strain was arraigned on rape charge on the 22nd Judicial District Court.
STAFF PHOTO BY MAX BECHERER
The connection between dueling investigations into former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain has never been clear: One probe centered on the sheriff’s awarding of an inmate work-release contract to the children of two of his ranking deputies; the other has focused on sordid allegations that the longtime lawman sexually abused at least four children.
The link lies within court documents that one of Strain’s former ranking deputies signed when he pleaded guilty in a public corruption scheme, allegedly spearheaded by Strain, that involved the work-release program.
That deputy, former Sheriff’s Office Capt. Clifford “Skip” Keen, signed a summary of the case against him in which he said he had been molested as a child by Strain. In turn, Keen said, Strain kept him in his inner circle and was generous to him as he grew up to “deter” him from ever talking about the abuse.
Keen said that generosity included cutting him into a scheme to skim more than $1 million from the sheriff’s work-release program — a scheme that led a federal grand jury to hand up a 16-count indictment against Strain on Thursday.
Strain, 56, was already facing aggravated rape and other charges in state court when U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser held a news conference to announce the federal case against the ex-sheriff. He now faces bribery and wire fraud counts in federal court.
Before charging Strain, the feds had secured guilty pleas from Keen and a fellow former captain at the Sheriff’s Office, David Hanson Sr.
Clifford "Skip" Keen (left) and David Hanson Sr. (right)
They both admitted in February that they had devised a kickback scheme with Strain that involved his privatizing a work-release program in Slidell that had been run in-house for years. Rather than soliciting competitive bids, Strain simply gave the contract to run the program to St. Tammany Workforce Solutions, a firm launched in 2013 by a construction contractor named Allen Tingle and two adult children of Hanson and Keen: Brandy Hanson and Jarret Keen.
Work-release programs in Louisiana allow inmates nearing the end of their sentences to work at jobs for private companies away from prison. The inmates live in a secure facility resembling a dorm, and the lion’s share of their wages goes to the program’s operator.
The idea is to allow inmates to earn a little money and readjust to civilian life before leaving prison.
In Strain’s case, court records say the program generated $1.2 million over three years for Brandy Hanson and Jarret Keen, who sent much of that amount to their fathers. David Hanson and Skip Keen said they then regularly paid cash — often in installments exceeding $1,000 — to Strain until his 20-year run as sheriff ended in 2016. The government has not said how much the payments totaled.
Strasser on Thursday said someone who caught wind of the plot alerted the watchdog Metropolitan Crime Commission, which in turn passed on the tip to law enforcement officials.
There is more on this story at NOLA.
St Tammany, La
Pastor, wife charged with witness tampering in
Omaha, Neb, child sexual assault case
OMAHA, Neb. —
Jailhouse phone calls have led to new problems for a Council Bluffs pastor.
Prosecutors said 44-year-old Emanuel Rodriguez had his wife, 42-year-old Veronica Rodriguez, contact his accusers' families to get them to drop the case.
“The co-defendant and his wife read a text message that she sent to the victims' mothers asking that they let this stuff go,” said deputy Douglas County attorney Tony Clowe in court.
Emanuel Rodriguez was already held on a bond of $500,000 for two counts of third-degree sex assault charges of a child.
Prosecutors allege Emanuel Rodriguez sexually assaulted two girls at his former home in Omaha sometime between 2017 and 2019.
Thursday, Judge Marcela Keim set the couple’s bond at $75,000 and ordered them to have no contact with accusers.
Former nursing home chaplain set to enter
new plea on sex abuse charges
QUINCY (HERALD-WHIG) — The former chaplain at a Quincy nursing home accused of sexually abusing two residents is set to enter a guilty plea next month.
James E. Riley’s case was set for a motion hearing to sever the two charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse Thursday when he waived his right to a jury trial and the case was set for a plea and sentencing hearing on Sept. 9.
Riley, 58, also is set to enter a guilty plea into an unrelated case where he was charged with one count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and three counts of criminal sexual assault. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges last month with both cases set on the September jury trial docket.
Adams County Assistant State’s Attorney Anita Rodriguez said the negotiated plea announced during Riley’s court appearance calls for him to plead guilty to two counts of criminal sexual abuse, one count of criminal sexual assault and the predatory criminal sexual assault charge.
If the plea moves forward, Riley would be sentenced to a combined 26 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections — seven years for each count of criminal sexual assault, six years for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and six years for criminal sexual assault.
All sentences run consecutively. YES!
Riley is accused of having sexual contact by use of force with two Good Samaritan Home residents — one 88 and the other 78. The incidents were alleged to have occurred in May at Good Samaritan Home. Riley also is alleged to have had sexual contact with a child younger than 13 and another younger than 18 occurring between July 1, 2001, and Dec. 6, 2003.
Riley was arrested June 24 after the Quincy Police Department was contacted by Good Samaritan Home administrators who had reported a resident’s inappropriate sexual contact by a chaplain.
He was later arrested July 8, while out on bond, after the Quincy Police Department was made aware of alleged inappropriate sexual contact with two girls.
Riley continues to be held in the Adams County Jail on $500,000 bond.
Utah man, once an LDS bishop,
jailed for child sexual abuse
by Larry D. Curtis
(KUTV) — A Utah man, who once was a bishop in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is in jail on a two-year sentence after he pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a child.
Francis Heber Fuller, 78, was originally charged with 11 counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, one count of first-degree sexual abuse of a child and lewdness involving a child. Fuller was to face a jury trial this year but instead pleaded guilty to two of the charges that were reduced to second-degree felonies while the rest of the charges were dismissed with prejudice; they cannot be brought against Fuller in the future.
Prosecutors sometimes agree to plea agreements to spare victims of sexual abuse from testifying in court. KUTV does not typically name victims of sexual abuse.
Court documents show that each of the two counts carried a possible one to 15-year sentence but the prison term was suspended by the court to a one-year sentence for each count with a requirement to serve the full term for each count. Fuller received credit for 11 days already spent in jail.
Court documents also state he will be given "all necessary and appropriate medical treatment" while in jail. He was fined $2,586.
When released from the Utah County Jail after completing the two-year sentence, Fuller will be on probation for four years and must follow Utah's conditions for sex offenders that includes participating and completing sex offender therapy, observing curfews, having no contact with the victims or their families, not having contact with children under 18, not entering schools, playgrounds, parks or other places where children are present and other rules under the observation of a parole officer.
Fuller was a bishop, leading an LDS congregation in Highland, Utah in 1993. He was featured in an American Fork newspaper announcing the position leading the congregation.
Fuller is may (???) have founded Wasatch Transportation, a company now directed by his son, that transports special needs children to Utah schools but that could not be confirmed. Fuller spoke to the Deseret News as a representative of Wasatch Transportation in 1997.
A video interview with one victim was considered probable cause for arraignment in 2017, court documents state. In 2018, a second victim came forward, delaying court proceedings. Prior to a scheduled June jury trial, Fuller changed his plea.
Fuller was sentenced Aug. 22, 2019, by Judge Kraig Powell.
Ohio police on 2 men accused of child rape:
'I've never seen anything like this'
Alleged pedo a Wiccan; victims are 5 & 7 y/o boys
WLWT Digital Staff
LOCKLAND, Ohio — Two men have been arrested in what police are calling one of the most disturbing cases of child sex abuse they have ever seen.
William Bustillos III, 25, and Joseph Suder, 36, were arrested in connection with the investigation. Both are accused of raping young boys. The alleged victims are 5 and 7 years old.
Authorities said there are more victims, adding that investigators found thousands of sexually-explicit photos of young children.
The investigation began in Milford with Suder but led to Bustillos in Lockland. Federal investigators are now involved, saying it may be part of a much larger crime ring.
Inside of a Lockland home where Bustillos lived, police said they found disturbing evidence of abuse. "I have never come in contact with a case like this," said Sgt. Scott Godbey with the Lockland Police Department.
"I've seen a lot of bad things in this world, but this right here is probably the worst I've ever had to deal with," said Lockland Police Chief James Toles.
The details are too graphic to describe. But investigators said Bustillos took a 5-year-old child upstairs to his room. Inside that room, police said satanic shrines and idols were scattered alongside sex toys. There were also cameras for recording his crimes, authorities said.
"He has 31 years I've got 27. I've never seen anything like this," Godbey said, referencing neither he or his chief had seen anything like this before.
Bustillos' mother and a man who lived downstairs in the same home as the suspect, did not want to be identified. They both said they do not believe the allegations.
They said the shrine was part of Bustillos' religion. "He's a Wiccan and he believes in the Wiccan way," the man said. "I support him in that, even though I'm a Christian. That's his right," Bustillos' mother said.
Bustillos was arrested Wednesday on charges of rape, gross sexual imposition and pandering sexual materials involving a juvenile.
Authorities said the alleged 5-year-old victim was provided to Bustillos by Suder, who was arrested in a separate case by Milford police.
Suder was arrested on Aug. 16, then later indicted on charges of rape and gross sexual imposition. He is currently jailed at the Clermont County Jail.
Milford police said he's accused of sexually abusing a 7-year-old child. He's also accused of taking sexually explicit photos of two other children – ages 5 and 8.
Authorities said the alleged incidents happened at the Oakwood Apartments on Brooklyn Avenue in Milford.
Federal investigators said between Bustillos and Suder, there are thousands of photos – maybe more – on seized flash drives and gaming systems.
Authorities said there are more victims and urge anyone with information to come forward.
Tennessee pastor found guilty of raping, abusing child
Author: The Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn — A Tennessee pastor has been found guilty of 24 counts involving child sex abuse in the first of three trials.
News outlets report a jury deliberated for less than two hours before finding 40-year-old Ronnie Gorton guilty Wednesday on charges including sexual battery and statutory rape. WMC-TV reports Gorton put his head down as the verdicts were read in Tipton County.
The 18-year-old victim told jurors the abuse started the day he moved in with Gorton and his wife in 2017. He said Gorton justified his actions by citing a Bible verse which said "holding each other is just a way to show love."
Gorton took the stand Wednesday and denied molesting the victim during two hours of testimony, though he admitted providing alcohol to the youth and other teens.
Gorton's sentencing hearing will start in November.
The pastor at the now-defunct Awakening Church in Atoka still faces trials involving two other teenagers who accused him of rape. One was 12 at the time.
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