North Carolina man charged with sexual abuse of 8-year-old gets $1 million bond
ROWAN COUNTY —
A Rowan County man who was charged with first-degree sexual offense received a $1 million bond.
On Nov. 8, the Rowan County Sheriff's Office said it received a report of ongoing sexual abuse of an 8-year-old.
Deputies said the victim was taken to the hospital to be evaluated while investigators identified the suspect as Noah Gabriel Vanhoy, 21, from Cleveland, NC.
Investigators said Vanhoy was known to the victim and that he abused them on several occasions. The investigation began when the victim told their mother about the abuse, officials said.
Vanhoy was arrested on Dec. 22 on charges of first-degree sexual offense and taking indecent liberties with a minor, deputies said.
Officials said he is under a $1 million bond in the Rowan County Jail.
David Paul of Kipnuk Sentenced to 263 Years to Serve for Sexual Abuse of 6 Children
Paul was convicted of 28 counts following a three-week jury trial held in Bethel in August 2025. At the sentencing, the convictions merged into 17 counts: five counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the First Degree, six counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the Second Degree, four counts of Sexual Assault in the First Degree, and two counts of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree.
At the trial, the jury found that three aggravating factors applied to the case: that five of the six victims qualified as vulnerable victims, that Paul was more than 10 years older than three of his victims, and that Paul had engaged in other sexually assaultive or abusive behavior. Judge Montgomery found that Paul constituted a “worst offender” under the law.
In May of 2021, one of the victims came forward as an adult to report Paul’s prior abuse committed against her. She also reported that she observed Paul sexually abusing a separate victim. During a several-month-long investigation, additional victims were identified and interviewed. These additional victims disclosed that Paul also sexually abused them when they were children. During the trial, the jury heard emotional testimony from all six victims, who explained that they initially did not report the abuse as children because they were scared and did not think anyone would believe them.
Several of the victims gave impact statements at sentencing. They expressed to the court the lifelong impact Paul’s crimes have had on them. Each expressed that Paul stole their childhood. One victim told the court “I have spent years thinking it was my fault for not protecting my brother. I blamed myself for not knowing how to tell my mom at such a young age. I did not ask for this. Today I no longer blame myself, because what happened in the dark has come to the light.”
Assistant Attorney General Bailey Woolfstead emphasized the number of victims, the length and continued nature of the sexual assaults and abuse, and Paul’s manipulative and predatory behavior. She argued that his actions required the court to permanently remove Paul from the community to ensure that he never harmed another child.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Montgomery stated that his intent in issuing the sentence was to ensure that Paul was never released from prison. “The amount of damage that his been inflicted is unspeakable … I see no potential for rehabilitation for Mr. Paul. If Mr. Paul is out and about in the community he poses among the most severe threats to the community in the YK Delta, his behavior and criminal history has demonstrated such.”
Assistant Attorney General Bailey Woolfstead of the Office of Special Prosecutions’ Rural Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case along with Assistant District Attorney Chanel Simon and Paralegal Bethany Kaiser of the Bethel District Attorney’s Office. The Department of Law thanks Alaska State Trooper Coby Sutton for his stellar and dedicated investigation, and Tundra Women’s Coalition for providing advocacy support for the victims throughout the case.
CONTACT: Assistant Attorney General Bailey Woolfstead, at (907) 465-3924 or bailey.woolfstead@alaska.gov.
PA Man Sentenced Up To 500 Years For Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material: AG
A Pennsylvania man has been sentenced to serve up to 500 years in state prison for possessing child sexual abuse material, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced on Thursday, Dec. 18.
Ricky Raisner, 67, of Mount Bethel (Northampton County), was ordered to serve 110 to 500 years in prison after being found guilty on 51 felony counts, according to Sunday. The verdict was handed down by Northampton County Judge Brian Panella following Raisner’s conviction at trial in July.
Judge Panella emphasized the "very young" ages of the children depicted in the materials Raisner possessed and the “egregious acts” shown in the evidence presented.
“We hope this sentence sends a clear message that possessing child sexual abuse material is exploitation and abuse of children, and will be treated with such severity in court,” Attorney General Sunday said in a statement. “Our Child Predator Section continues to uncover individuals across the Commonwealth viewing, collecting, and sharing these vile materials — that work will not stop.”
The Attorney General’s Child Predator Section began investigating Raisner after receiving a tip. Investigators traced the IP address to his home in Mount Bethel and seized devices containing child sexual abuse material during a warranted search.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Michelle Laucella.
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