Man in Las Vegas terror case charged with
U.S. child sex abuse count
By Ken Ritter, Associated PressU.S. child sex abuse count
U.S. prosecutors have added a child exploitation charge to conspiracy and firearms counts against a Las Vegas man accused with two others of plotting terrorism attacks during Las Vegas protests about race and police policies.
Stephen Thomas Parshall, 36, is in federal custody, and earlier this month had child sexual assault and lewdness added to Nevada state terrorism and explosives charges against him and two alleged co-conspirators.
Parshall’s attorney, Robert Draskovich, said Thursday his client denies all the charges and “adamantly denies he abused a minor in any way.”
A federal criminal complaint filed Wednesday said search warrants turned up images of child pornography on Parshall’s cellphone, and a young girl seen in the images told authorities Parshall began sexually abusing her when she was 10.
Parshall has not been arraigned on the new charge.
Authorities say he was arrested May 30 with Andrew Lynam Jr. and William Loomis while they filled glass bottles with gasoline in a plan to firebomb a protest over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
The FBI, police and prosecutors allege Parshall, Lynam and Loomis belonged to an extremist right-wing group dubbed “boogaloo” that supports overthrowing the U.S. government.
All three men have pleaded not guilty to the initial charges in federal court.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported police began investigating child sex allegations against Parshall following the separate arrest on June 24 of one of Parshall’s longtime friends on child sex charges.
The friend, Phillip Merrill, 35, pleaded guilty July 16 to sexual assault with a minor and lewdness with a child. He could face 30 years to life in state prison at sentencing Oct. 12.
Dayton, Oh, man, wanted on nearly two-dozen charges in child sex case
ajc.com
By Jen Balduf
An arrest warrant was issued Thursday for a 64-year-old Dayton man following his indictment on nearly two-dozen charges in a child sexual abuse case.
Larry Nalls is charged with 18 counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance; and one count each of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, gross sexual imposition and having weapons under disability for a prior offense of violence as well as a misdemeanor sexual imposition charge, according to a Montgomery County grand jury report.
Nalls is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 13 in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.
Inman, S.C. Man Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges
MATTHEW CAUSEY
(COLUMBIA, S.C.) South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson announced the arrest of Kenneth W. Burch (age 70), of Inman, S.C., on two charges connected to the sexual exploitation of minors.
Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigators with the Attorney General's Office made the arrest. Investigators with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), both also members of the state's ICAC Task Force, assisted with the investigation.
Investigators state Burch distributed files of child sexual abuse material.
Burch was arrested on July 28, 2020. He is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree (§16-15-405), a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment on each count.
This case will be prosecuted by the Attorney General's Office. Attorney General Wilson stressed all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in a court of law.
LAPD Seeks Info on Child Sexual Abuse Suspect Who Worked as Fresno Electrician
Jim Jakobs GVWire
Los Angeles police have arrested Alejandro Solano-Romero, 51, for alleged sexual abuse of children.
He has worked as an electrician throughout the state, including Fresno and Northern California.
Two Unidentified Victims
On July 23, LAPD’s Topanga detectives arrested Solano-Romero for the continuous sexual abuse of a child and numerous related charges with two identified victims. The alleged crimes occurred from 1998 to 2019.
His bail for the charges is $7 million.
Detectives are seeking any additional victims who have not previously reported similar crimes by Solano-Romero.
How to Contact Detectives
Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Padilla at (818) 756-3376.
During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).
Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Plainville, Mass, man faces charges in federal
child sex sting
child sex sting
By David Linton
The Sun Chronicle
US District Court, Boston, AP
PLAINVILLE — A local man has been arrested on charges he tried to entice sex from an undercover federal agent he thought was a 13-year-old girl, authorities said Thursday.
David Cerasuolo, 47, of 56 Fales Road, was ordered held without bail Wednesday following a video conference appearance in U.S. District Court in Boston, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
He was charged with one count of coercion and enticement of a minor or attempted enticement of a minor. No plea was entered.
According to the criminal complaint, Cerasuolo used the Whisper and Kik chat apps to engage in conversations with the agent he thought was a young teen girl.
During these conversations, he tried to entice the purported 13-year-old to engage in sexual activity and sent her several photographs of himself, including one displaying his penis, according to the complaint.
“I find girls your age to be very attractive,” he allegedly texted on June 20, adding that he was attracted to girls between 13 and 17.
FBI agents, state and local police executed a search warrant at his home Wednesday morning. During questioning, Cerasuolo allegedly admitted to sending the texts and photos.
If convicted, Cerasuolo faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI and police departments in Plainville, Arlington, Boston and Newton. The state Department of Correction also assisted.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The initiative uses federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.
Plainville, Ma
Columbia, S.C. man accused of sex crimes against children online
If convicted of all charges, he could face up to 70 years in prison
(Source: Gray News, file)
By Laurel Mallory |
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - A Columbia man faces numerous felony charges after an investigation of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Officials say a tip led them to 46-year-old Gregory Scott Roland.
Roland is accused of distributing and possessing files of child sexual abuse material, formerly known as child pornography.
Deputies arrested Roland on July 28 and charged him with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor, second degree and six counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, third degree.
If convicted of all charges, he could face up to 70 years in prison.
The South Carolina Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case.
Man arrested for rape, child porn in Rogers, Ark
Mike LeClaire faces 20 charges including Infant Rape and possessing/producing child pornography.
Author: Haleigh Schmidt, 5newsonline
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — A Rogers man has been arrested on several charges including rape and child pornography.
On July 2, 2020, the Rogers Police Department received a cyber tip from the Arkansas State Police - Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce about a Snapchat containing a nude image of a girl believed to be between the ages of 12 and 14.
It was discovered that the person who uploaded the Snapchat was 33 years old, and later identified as Michael (Mike) LeClaire of Rogers, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Rogers Police received another tip on July 14, 2020, that Instagram reported an image that contained apparent child pornography on June 19, 2020, that came from a user named Mike.
Investigators met with LeClaire at a residence in Rogers on July 22, 2020, and he agreed to speak with them. He told investigators that his Snapchat and phone number were no longer activated.
When asked about the Snapchat image, LeClaire told investigators he did not know anything about the image they described. He initially told them that he was trading images of nude females with another person over Snapchat, but he did not believe any of them were young.
When asked about his Instagram account, LeClaire told investigators he had not used it since February or March of 2020.
While being questioned, LeClaire allowed investigators to view images on his phone. While scrolling through the photos investigators found several images of nude females, some of which appeared to be teenagers, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit states LeClaire told investigators there may be some images of underage females on his phone and he went on to say that the images were on his Google account. He also stated that he has had the same Google account since he was a teenager and that some of the images had been there since then.
During the interview, LeClaire said that he in fact does look at and share images of females around the age of 14. He told investigators "I like them young," and that he liked young girls that were "developed."
When asked about the pornographic Instagram video depicting a child around five years old, LeClaire initially told investigators he "kinda" remembered the video. Later in the interview, investigators asked him if he only had the video for "trading purposes" and he replied that was true, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit states that LeClaire said if he downloaded the video then it was only used for trading. He also stated that he had since stopped talking to those people he was trading images with.
When LeClaire realized investigators were seizing his cell phone he then told them that they would find nude images of females between the ages of 14 and 15. He told investigators that he stopped talking to people who would send him videos or images of underage females.
Victims under 5 y/o
On July 23, 2020, investigators received a search warrant for LeClaire's cell phone and found over 150 videos with Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). According to the affidavit, one of the videos showed a man, who appeared to be LeClaire, engaging in sexual acts with a child between the ages of one and three.
The affidavit states that other videos LeClaire recorded showed him raping and sexually assaulting children under the age of five.
While searching the Rogers home LeClaire was staying at, officers found a Paw Patrol pillow that appeared in one of the videos on his phone. It was then discovered that LeClaire had assaulted a young family member.
LeClaire was arrested and while in custody he told police that he had been charged with a sexual offence when he was 12-year-old and his victim at the time was possibly 3-years-old.
It was discovered that LeClaire had been arrested in Texas for Indecency with a Child/Sexual Contact in 2001 and Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child in 2002. He was also arrested in Rogers in 2019 for Failure to Appear and Third-Degree Domestic Battery.
LeClaire faces 20 counts of Distributing, Possessing or Viewing of Matter Depicting Sexually Explicit Conduct Involving a Child, Producing, Directing and Promoting Sexual Performances by a Child, and Rape.
Man Bound Over On Child Sex Charges
BY RANDY DOCKENDORF
HARTINGTON, Neb. — A South Sioux City, Nebraska, man has been bound over to district court on three charges — including two counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child — for an alleged June incident (7th story on link) at a Lake Yankton beach.
The charge of first-degree sexual assault of a child carries a possible life sentence.
Guillermo Coronado Ortiz appeared Wednesday at a preliminary hearing in Cedar County Court on the charges. He appeared with defense attorney Nicole Brandt and interpreter Raul Escobar, according to court papers.
Coronado Ortiz, 59, is charged with engaging in sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl at Lake Yankton and with providing her with alcohol, according to court records.
Cedar County Attorney Nick Matney filed the charges and amended complaint. The three counts include the following:
• Two counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child, a Class 1B felony, each carry a penalty of 20 years to life imprisonment.
• One count of committing intentional child abuse with no injuries, a Class IIIA felony, carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine.
In addition two charges were dismissed without prejudice for re-filing in the district court. They include the following:
• Public indecency, a Class II misdemeanor, carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine;
• Procuring alcoholic liquor to or for a minor, a Class I misdemeanor, carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.
Wednesday’s preliminary hearing determined whether sufficient evidence existed for the defendant to be bound over to Cedar County District Court for further proceedings.
Cedar County Court Judge Douglas Luebe bound Coronado Ortiz over for formal arraignment in Cedar County District Court Aug. 20.
The state’s motion to increase bond was denied and remains $125,000 at 10%, according to court records. The defense had previously sought a bond reduction, which was denied. Under the current bail terms, the defendant would be released from jail for posting $12,500.
Court documents outline the events learning up to Coronado Ortiz’s arrest and charges.
A woman called the 911 dispatch around 6:20 p.m. June 16 concerning the alleged incident at the Gavins Point Project’s Lake Yankton swimming beach. Cedar County authorities responded to the call because the site is located in that county.
After investigating, law enforcement officials arrested Coronado Ortiz and transported him to the Cedar County Jail in Hartington.
On the first-degree child sexual assault charges, Coronado Ortiz is accused of being at least 25 years of age or older and subjecting “another person at least 12 years of age but less than 16 years of age … to sexual penetration.”
The felony child abuse charge alleges he knowingly and intentionally permitted a minor child to be placed in a situation “to be sexually exploited by allowing, encouraging or forcing such minor child to engage in debauchery, public indecency, or obscene or pornographic photography, films or depictions.”
The public indecency charge alleges the defendant, being 18 years of age or over, did “perform or procure, or assist another person to perform, in a public place and where the conduct may reasonably be expected to be viewed by members of the public, an act of sexual penetration or an exposure of the genitals of the body done with intent to affront or alarm any person, or a lewd fondling or caressing the body of another person of the same or opposite sex.”
The charge of procuring alcoholic liquor to or for a minor alleges the defendant “did sell, furnish, give away, exchange or deliver, or permit the sale, gift or procuring of any alcoholic liquors, to or for any minor or to any person who is mentally incompetent.”
On the last charge, the state alleges Coronado Ortiz procured alcohol for a person under age 21, in violation of the law.
He remains incarcerated in the Cedar County Jail at Hartington, according to the district court clerk’s office.
To read the full complaint, visit www.yankton.net.
Collinsville, Ill woman accused in 2006 child sexual assault
Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons filed criminal sexual assault charges against a Collinsville woman for sexual assault accusations against a minor dating back to 2006.
Sharilyn A. Whittaker, 65, was charged with four counts of criminal sexual assault, Class 1 felonies; and one count of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, a Class 2 felony. The charges date back to a series of encounters between June 1, 2006, through April 13, 2010, where Whittaker committed the act of sexual penetration upon a male minor while she was in a position of trust, authority or supervision as a family friend of the victim.
Following interviews with the victim and defendant, charges were filed. The Troy Police Department led the investigation alongside Assistant State’s Attorney Kathleen Nolan.
“For so many victims of sexual assault, it can take years to finally reach the point where they are able to tell their story and begin the path through the justice system to vindication,” Gibbons said. “When victims are heard and supported, we have an opportunity to connect them with a support system that allows them to continue their path to healing. As a community, we have to continue to provide these opportunities and remain vigilant to listen for the voices of those who have been victimized, so they can have their day in court and their opportunity for justice.”
Gibbons commended the vital work of Assistant State's Attorney Kathleen Nolan, whose collaboration with the Troy Police Department allowed for the evidence needed to charge.
Whittaker turned herself into the Troy Police Department. Her bond was set at $250,000 bond set by Associate Judge Janet Heflin. Whittaker posted a cash bond and has been released with a no contact order with the victim. If convicted of the Class 1 felony, the maximum penalty is 15 years per count served at 85 percent in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Both counts, if convicted, require the defendant to register as a lifetime child sex offender.
These charges, as well as the statements made herein, are based upon probable cause. The defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Former Fresno, Ca Unified bus driver sentenced to 24 years for child molestation, child porn
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A former Fresno Unified bus driver was sentenced for several felony counts of sexual assault, sex acts with a minor and possession of child pornography.
Jeffrey Sipes was sentenced to 24 years and eight months in prison. He was convicted of child molestation earlier this year.
Sipes admitted to having hundreds of images of child pornography in 2017 but maintained his innocence in the sexual assault charges.
Newburgh, Ind man facing felony child exploitation charges after police found child pornography
Brook Endale
Evansville Courier & Press
NEWBURGH, Ind. — A Newburgh man has been arrested on child exploitation charges.
The Warrick County Sheriff's began looking into Anthony Richardson, 27, as part of an investigation involving the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
An IP address used to upload child sexual abuse material was traced back to a home on Camelot Drive, according to a police report.
Deputies executed a search warrant on Richardson's home Tuesday evening. According to a police report, officers found videos depicting child pornography on an SD card.
When Richardson was questioned by detectives, he admitted to possessing, uploading and downloading child sex abuse material depicting children under the age of 12, according to the report. Police later found flash drives contacting more child abuse material in Richardson's home.
Richardson is being charged with three counts of child exploitation, a Level 4 felony and child exploitation, a Level 5 felony.
Shallowater, Tx man arrested following
child sexual assault investigation
By Gabriel Monte, Lubbock online
U.S. Marshals on Monday arrested a 38-year-old Shallowater man suspected of raping one girl and attempting to sexually abuse another in 2018.
Paul Harris was booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center on three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two attempted sexual assault of a child.
His charges arise out of a Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office investigation of an Aug. 29, 2019, report by a mother who said her daughter, who was a sixth grader at the time made an outcry accusing Harris of rape, according to an arrest warrant.
The girl’s mother brought her to a friend to see if she could talk to her about her recent behavior, described in the warrant as “angry and disrespectful,” the warrant states.
After speaking with the girl, the friend told the girl’s mother about the outcry.
The girl met with a forensic interviewer and detailed a handful of episodes of sexual abuse and rape at Harris’ hands while they lived in Shallowater.
The girl said she was sleeping on the couch where she was undressed and raped by Harris. She said it happened again later that week. She said Harris told her not to tell her mother.
In a written statement the girl said she ”cryed (sic) please stop, he would not stop over and over again.”
The girl said her younger sister told their mother that Harris did something to her as well.
The girl’s 9-year-old sister recounted to the forensic interviewer several episodes when she thwarted Harris’ attempts at sexually abusing her. She said she also witnessed Harris abusing her sister.
Investigators were unable to contact Harris. A warrant for his arrest was issued July 7.
He remains held at the jail. His bail amounts are set at $100,000 and $75,000.
If he is in jail, how is it that investigators were not able to contact him?
No jail for Illinois woman who didn’t report husband for raping infant girl
By KYLE OCKER Ottumwa Courier
BLOOMFIELD — A Bloomfield woman avoided prison time Friday after pleading guilty to charges that she knew about the repeated sexual assault of a young girl but did nothing to stop it.
Kendra Sue Ann Hoover, 28, of Bloomfield, received a suspended prison sentenced of 20 years as part of a plea deal in the case. She was originally charged with seven counts of neglect or abandonment of a dependent person and seven counts of child endangerment causing bodily injury.
Police arrested in Hoover in January 2019, nine months after they had arrested her husband, Steven Douglas Crook Jr., of Bloomfield.
Crook was sentenced last year to 120 years in federal prison. He pled guilty to sexually abusing a little girl from the time she was an infant until she was 6 years old. Investigators said he would take pictures and videos of the abuse, and in some cases live-streamed the assaults.
The abuse stopped when law enforcement rescued the girl in the midst of a federal investigation into Crook in 2018.
Hoover was arrested because prosecutors said she knew about the abuse after having seen one of the videos but did nothing to stop it. Additionally, after seeing the video, Hoover allowed Crook to be alone with the victim and the victim was abused at least seven more times, according to investigators.
If Hoover had been convicted of all 14 felony charges and sentenced to the maximum penalty for each, she could have served up to 245 years in prison.
Judge Greg Milani on Friday placed her on probation for up to five years. If Hoover doesn’t violate terms of her probation, she won’t serve any time in prison. She was also fined $2,000.
In January, Hoover waived her right to a jury trial and in April a plea agreement was reached that matched the sentence handed down by Milani on Friday.
No indication here if the child was the daughter of these two creeps, or someone else's daughter. But there is good reason here for forced sterilization, IMHO.
Washington City, Ut man pleads guilty to
forcible sexual abuse involving minor
Written by Cody Blowers
St George News
ST. GEORGE — A Washington City man has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor over whom he held a position of trust.
Thomas Grant Larkin, 55, pleaded guilty to first-degree felony object rape and second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse during a hearing held in 5th District Court July 15.
Larkin was originally charged with four counts each of first-degree felony object rape and second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse when the case was filed by the Washington County Attorney’s Office June 2. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the remaining charges were dismissed in exchange for a guilty plea.
The charges were filed following an investigation that began June 1, during which a forensic interview was conducted with a juvenile who told police that Larkin had sexually abused them on several occasions, the probable cause statement filed in support of the arrest states.
Later that same day, the suspect was interviewed at the Washington City Police Department, where he allegedly admitted to touching the child on multiple occasions, describing acts that were consistent with what was reported to police during the interview at the Children’s Justice Center hours earlier.
Larkin told detectives that he “believed it only happened those times but stated that there could be more times than he recalled,” officers noted in the statement.
Court records indicate the abuse took place over a four-month period, beginning in December 2018. The acts that were performed “without the victim’s consent,” allegations the defendant admitted to in his statement in support of the guilty plea filed July 15.
After his arrest, the defendant made an initial appearance in 5th District Court on June 5, where District Judge Eric A. Ludlow set bail at $150,000 cash-only. When Larkin’s public defender, Larry Meyers, requested that bail be reduced during a felony roll call hearing held 11 days later, the state objected to the reduction and the request was denied by District Judge Jeffrey C. Wilcox.
This is not the first time the defendant has been arrested for an offense involving a child. On March 1, 1986, he was charged with one count of Lewdness with a child, a class A misdemeanor. He pleaded guilty to the charge one month later and was fined $500 and placed on one year of probation. The case was closed in January 1988.
Moreover, detectives found through the course of the investigation that Larkin has held other positions of trust within the community for years, Washington City Police Chief Jason Williams told St. George News.
The defendant has remained in custody since the arrest June 2 and is scheduled to appear in 5th District Court for sentencing Aug. 25 at 3 p.m.
Summerville, S.C. man arrested on
exploitation of a minor charges
CHARLESTON COUNTY NEWS
by: Chase Laudenslager
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) – The SC Attorney General’s Office on Friday announced the arrest of Jocqueus Andredeous Wilson (39) on multiple counts related to sexual exploitation of a minor.
The Summerville man was arrested by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force with the Mount Pleasant Police Department, after investigators say he solicited child sexual abuse material from a person he believed to be a minor.
He was booked into the Charleston County Detention Center on July 28, and was released on July 29 on a $50,000 bond.
Wilson faces one count of criminal solicitation of a minor and one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, first degree. If convicted on both counts, he could face up to 30 years in prison.
The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the case.
Guilderland, NY man admits to recording, distributing sexual abuse of children
by WRGB STAFF
GUILDERLAND NY (WRGB) - A Guilderland man pled guilty Friday to sexual exploiting a child.
39-year-old Blake Spears from Guilderland admitted that in December of 2018, he used his phone to record himself masturbating while standing over a sleeping child.
Additionally, he admitted to using a phone messaging app to distribute, videos depicting the sexual abuse of other children.
Spears, who has been in custody since his arrest in February of 2019, faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, as well as a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life.
He will be sentenced in December.
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