Miss Kentucky, Prophet, Deputy and Others on Today's USA PnP List

Former Miss Kentucky arrested for
'sending topless pics to minor'

One might expect that a beauty queen and teacher would be a great source for positive messages. However, a former Miss Kentucky has reportedly been caught sending out something else - nude photos to a 15-year-old boy.

Ramsey Bearse, a 28-year-old school teacher, traded her tiara for handcuffs on Friday after being arrested and charged with four felony counts of distributing or displaying obscene matter to a minor.

The former pageant queen, who lives in West Virginia and teaches eighth-grade science at Andrew Jackson Middle School in the town of Cross Lanes, is accused of sending the teen at least four topless photos via Snapchat between August and October, according to the criminal complaint cited by WSAZ 3.

The teacher was reportedly busted after the 15-year-old's parents spotted the images on their son's phone. The teen was one of Bearse's former students.

Investigators say the teacher admitted to sending the pictures to the boy. She was released on a $10,000 property bond on Friday afternoon and has been suspended from her teaching position.

If Bearse is convicted of the charges, she faces up to 20 years in prison and $100,000 in fines.

Authorities say they are so far unaware if Bearse had inappropriate contact with other minors, but are urging others to come forward if that is the case.

Bearse won the title of Miss Kentucky in 2014 and competed in the 2015 Miss America pageant under her maiden name Carpenter.

Wisconsin man charged with child sexual assault following tests on 2013 sexual assault kit

Lane Kimble
News Director
lkimble@wjfw.com

RHINELANDER - A Wisconsin Department of Justice push to get through a backlog of untested sexual assault kits may have helped solve a possible child sexual assault from 2013 in Minocqua.

A DNA profile from the five-year-old kit connected Brandon Darnick, 26, to the assault of a young boy.

Police arrested Darnick at his home in Arbor Vitae on Nov. 29. He was charged in Oneida County Court with first-degree sexual assault of a child under the age of 13.

The case goes back to a Minocqua police investigation from Dec. 2013. The boy's mother called police saying her son complained of a sore bottom that hurt when he tried to use the bathroom.

The boy complained of a "doctor" putting something up his bottom while he was staying with other people, but couldn't go into detail of who was the "doctor" or what exactly happened.

Howard Young Medical Center staff referred the family to a sexual assault testing nurse (SANE) in Weston. A SANE nurse took samples from the boy's anus on Dec. 13, 2013. At the time, the nurse told police there was no sign of injuries or evidence of a sexual assault.

That week, police questioned Darnick and a number of other people who were with the boy around the time a possible assault happened. Darnick told officers he was alone with the boy at times, but that he "did not believe anybody in that apartment would hurt [the child]," according to the criminal complaint.

The responding officer concluded at the time there wasn't enough evidence to show an assault happened, nor was there a conclusive way to show who might've done something to the boy.

In April 2018, the Minocqua Police Department received a report from a forensics testing lab showing two DNA hits appeared from the 2013 kit. A follow up report from the Wisconsin State Crime Lab in June showed one profile belonged to the boy, the other belonged to Brandon Darnick. However, that report did not show if semen was identified.

On Nov. 16, further lab tests from the state crime lab showed "the presence of a sperm cell" on the anal swab, which matched Darnick's DNA.

Nov. 29, police went to Darnick's apartment and told him about the DNA tests. When pressed about how his sperm could have ended up in the boy's test, Darnick suggested he might have masturbated in the bathroom and his semen then got on the child when the boy went to the bathroom.

Darnick willingly gave police a DNA sample from his cheek. They then arrested him.

Earlier this year, Attorney General Brad Schimel announced the state crime lab was in the process of testing the last of more than 6,000 untested sexual assault kits, some dating back to the 1980s. The effort was part of the Wisconsin Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (WiSAKI).

Darnick is being held on a $1,500 cash bond. He faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted. He is due back in court Tuesday afternoon.

$1,500 - 60 years - Think I might choose to disappear.

Orlando 'prophet' sexually abused child, deputies say
— 'I am a dirty man'

Jeff Weiner

Orlando Sentinel

A traveling minister who marketed himself as a “prophet” was jailed last week in Orange County, accused of repeatedly sexually abusing a girl younger than 12.

Lauro Adame, 50, faces charges of sexual battery on a child, lewd or lascivious molestation and conduct and sexual activity with a child. He remains in the Orange County Jail without bail.

According to court records, authorities began investigating Adame in September 2017, after the victim told an adult that he had “touched” her. The adult later confronted Adame, a report states.

“I’m going to turn myself in tomorrow with my lawyer,” Adame responded, according to the adult’s account in an interview with Sheriff’s Office investigators. “I am a dirty man.”

A child-protection official interviewed the girl days later. The child told the official she couldn’t recall when Adame first abused her because “it happened so many times,” the report states.

She described the sexual abuse in detail, according to the report. The girl also told investigators that Adame became abusive when he was intoxicated and described crying while he molested her.

Though Adame reportedly told the adult he planned to turn himself in when the abuse came to light, records show deputies struggled to find him for months as they sought to interview him.

Prosecutors filed charges against Adame in late October. Records show he was apprehended Thursday in Melbourne by a U.S. Marshals Service task force, working with Orange County deputies.

If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

Gee, too bad he didn't see that coming!

Court records describe Adame as a “well-known minister within his faith” who traveled often, but the size of his following is unclear. His Twitter account had only 384 followers as of Monday.

“Prophet Adame is a Son Who is Passionately Pursuing the Presence of Daddy God,” his Twitter bio says.

He hosted a religious blog on his website — last updated in March 2017 — and also wrote several e-books, including “The Worshiping Warrior’s Bible” and “Give The Devil The Finger.”

I wonder how many 'prophecies' he inflicted upon people? It's not that I don't believe there are still prophetic gifts in the church today. It's that I don't trust most 'prophets' are actually listening to God. Adame is a terrible example, but he is an example.

Former Oklahoma Deputy Gets 25 Years

For Child Sex Abuse

TULSA COUNTY, Oklahoma - A former Deputy with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Department was sentenced to 25 years on three counts of child sexual abuse Monday. 

A Tulsa County District judge sentenced Josh Wood to a split sentence of 20 years in the Department of Corrections and five years on probation. The sentence came as a result of a plea agreement between the parties. 

DA Kunzweiler stated, “In this case, we had a young child victim.  A plea agreement in this instance certainly saved our taxpayers the expense of a trial, but I am mostly gratified that we were able to spare this child from the trauma of testifying to her experiences in front of a jury in open court,” said Tulsa County DA Steve Kunzweiler. 

The victim was under 12 year old.

Rural Illinois man facing charges for

baby pornography, solicitation

Sanford J. Schmidt, sschmidt@thetelegraph.com

ALTON — A man previously convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse is now facing four counts of child pornography and a count of indecent solicitation.

Joseph F. Meyers, 73, of rural Alton, is accused of possessing a lewd picture of an act of sexual penetration of a 1-year old child. Another counts accuses him of possessing a lewd picture of a 1-year-old child.

He was also accused of possessing with intent to disseminate pictures of a female under the age of 13 in a lewd posture on or about Oct. 8 through Thursday. Two of the counts were charged as enhanced Class X charges, punishable by a prison term of between nine and 30 years. His bail was set at $250,000.

The indecent solicitation charge alleges he asked to perform acts of sexual penetration with a female he believed to be 9 years old. The conversation was via an Internet site.

He was convicted in August 2002 of two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and sentenced to four years in prison.

In that case he was originally charged with two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, but pleaded guilty to the abuse charges as part of a plea bargain.

Jury finds former Illinois man guilty

of criminal child sexual abuse

OREGON, Ill. - An Ogle County jury found Daryn A. Jacobs, 50, formerly of Forreston, guilty of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child and Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse on Monday, after a four day trial.

Jacobs is due to be sentenced on January 16th, 2019, and faces up to 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Jacobs will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Man accused of sexual assault of child in

Summers County, WV

HINTON — A man was arrested and charged for sexual assault. 

Charles Edward Ratliff, 62, of Jumping Branch was arraigned on Friday after being accused of sexual assault.

WVVA-TV reports that Ratliff is facing a 20-count indictment that includes ten counts of first degree sexual assault and ten counts of first degree sexual abuse by a parent, guardian or a person of trust.

Ratliff entered a not guilty plea.

The Prosecuting Attorney Kristen Cook said Ratliff waived his right to a speedy trial, and his next hearing is on Feb. 25. He is free on a $220,000 surety bond.

The investigation was handled buy the West Virginia State Police, Hinton detachment. Summers County Child Advocacy Center assisted. 

North Carolina registered sex offender arrested again, charged with child sexual assault

LINCOLNTON, N.C. — A registered sex offender living in Lincoln County has been charged with child sexual assault, authorities said.

WSOC reported that Timothy Dwayne Self, 26, of Lincolnton, who is a registered sex offender, was accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old female who is an acquaintance of the suspect.

The victim told police Self sexually assaulted her on separate incidents between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30.

Self was arrested Friday and was charged with one felony count of statutory rape of a child.

He is in jail under a $200,000 secured bond. His next court date is Monday.

Self was put on the North Carolina Sex Offender Registry after being convicted in Catawba County in June of 2014 for taking indecent liberties with a minor.

Obviously didn't get any smarter in the last 4 years.

Upstate NY man refuses plea deal in child sex case

DON LEHMAN dlehman@poststar.com  

FORT EDWARD -- A Fort Edward man who faces up to life in state prison for allegedly sexually assaulting two children refused a plea deal on Friday, setting the stage for a trial that starts Monday.

Richard M. Alger, 54, was in Washington County Court on Friday for a pre-trial hearing and to consider a plea offer that would result in him serving either 10 years in prison or a range between 5 and 15 years.

Alger faces a count of predatory sexual assault against a child, the state's weightiest sex charge, which could bring a prison term of up to 25-years-to-life. He would be required to plead guilty to two rape charges, including a first-degree rape count, but he rejected the offer.

"You understand you can be sentenced to significantly more time, up to a life sentence?" Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan asked. "Yes," Alger responded.

Alger was indicted on 10 charges that accuse him of sexually assaulting two girls, one under the age of 13 and the other 16. He faces counts of first-degree rape, criminal sexual act and sexual abuse as well as predatory sexual assault against a child.

He was arrested by Fort Edward Police in January for alleged rape of the older girl months earlier, and two months later Washington County sheriff's officers charged him in connection with the younger girl (9th story on link).

Alger has pleaded not guilty, and jury selection is to begin Monday. He is being held in Washington County Jail.

The case is being prosecuted by Washington County assistant district attorneys Brandon Rathbun and Christian Morris, while Alger is being represented by Martin McGuinness and Phil Perry.

Illinois woman, 45, charged with sex abuse of minor

between 13 and 17 years old

The Telegraph 

MORO — A Moro woman has been charged with multiple sex-related offenses after authorities say she engaged in sexual relations with a child between the ages of 13 and 17 in “multiple cities and span across several jurisdictions within Madison County,” according to a press release issued Friday night.

Tonya Rene Christians, 45, of Moro, faces three counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, all Class 3 felonies. She was held on $50,000 bond.

The press release indicates the matter is the focus of an ongoing investigation.

Baltimore High School sends out letter to parents amid former coach's child abuse charges

by Danielle Jackson

BALTIMORE (WBFF) Mercy High School officials sent out a letter to parents following news of its former athletic coach being charged with child sexual abuse.

The statement says "we continue to be deeply upset as we learn additional information from media reports about our former part-time coach Ernest Jackson. The details of the charges against Mr. Jackson revealed in local news coverage early this evening are very disturbing to our entire community—our students, parents, faculty and staff, board, alumnae and friends."

Officials say that Ernest Jackson was a part time coach for indoor track, outdoor track and soccer. He coached at the school on a seasonal basis, beginning in November 2015 until last month. He is no longer a coach and he was reportedly banned from campus when the school learned of a report of abuse before Thanksgiving.

Jackson has reportedly been released on bail.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Baltimore Police's Child Abuse Unit at 443-984-7378 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

6 Rather Disturbing Stories on Today's USA PnP List

Self-proclaimed prophet gets up to 87 years

for child sex abuse

It's a wonder he didn't see that coming!

By Danielle Haynes  

UPI -- A Pennsylvania judge sentenced Lee Kaplan, a self-proclaimed prophet of God who molested several young girls in the same family, to 30 to 87 years in prison.

Judge Jeffrey Finley issued six prison sentences for Kaplan, one for each of the young girls he abused, to be served consecutively.

I love that word, consecutively!

A Bucks County jury found Kaplan guilty on 17 counts of child sex abuse in June. At the time of his arrest in 2016, Kaplan was found to be living with nine sisters, their mother and two more children he fathered with the oldest sister, who is now 19-years-old. Kaplan considered six of the sisters, five of whom were underage, to be his wives.

Kaplan, 52, told police that the girls' parents, Daniel Stoltzfus and Savilla Stoltzfus, "gifted" their eldest daughter to him when she was 14-years-old. Having convinced the formerly Amish Stoltzfus couple that he was their prophet, Kaplan told Daniel Stoltzfus to have all the daughters and his wife move in with him.

The parents both received prison sentences for enabling the abuse of their daughters.

Neighbors figured something to be amiss, due to the occasional sighting of the cadre of young girls in identical, homemade blue dresses, despite Kaplan's claims to be childless. A welfare check by authorities in 2016 led to Kaplan's arrest.

Kaplan didn't admit any wrongdoing in court Wednesday.

"I'm not sure what I can say to you, honestly," Kaplan told Finley. "I honestly believe no matter what I say, no matter how true it is, the weight of the media, public opinion, and politics is too great. Do what you feel is right."

St. Lucie School Board stands by firing a teacher who blew whistle on fiancé’s sexual abuse

School District taking a heartless approach and re-victimizing a victim

Andrew Atterbury

St. Lucie County School District has more than 40,400 students in 19 elementary schools, 9 K-8 campuses, four middle schools, and five high schools. The district also has four magnet schools. ANDREW ATTERBURY/TCPALM Wochit

PORT ST. LUCIE — An administrative law judge says the school district wrongly attempted to fire a teacher in 2013 after her fiancé, a high school band director, was charged with having sex with students.

The School Board on Friday, however, by a 3-2 vote, rejected the judge's recommendation to rescind the teacher's suspension and subsequent firing and to reinstate her with back pay and benefits.

Board members Troy Ingersoll, Kathryn Hensley and Debbie Hawley voted to uphold the termination of Janifer Thomas, according to Vicki Rodriguez, president of St. Lucie County Classroom Teachers Association. Donna Mills and Carol Hilson voted to reinstate Thomas, Rodriguez said.

"As far as we’re concerned, the school district is finished with this case," Hensley said Friday.

Thomas can appeal the board's decision once it is finalized at an upcoming meeting. The board's ruling against Thomas, who still is represented by the union, is incredibly unfortunate, Rodriguez said.

"I am extremely disappointed that three members of the School Board chose to victimize Janifer Thomas yet again," Rodriguez said. "She lost everything — her home, her career, her reputation and her relationship."

In September 2013, the school district fired Thomas, then a music teacher at Manatee Academy K-8 school, for failing to report child abuse and for breaking other board policies, according to court documents.

A day after receiving her termination letter, Thomas requested an administrative hearing. The board in November 2013 revoked her termination and suspended Thomas without pay, referring her case to the Division of Administrative Hearings. But a final administrative hearing wouldn't be held until February 1, 2017. She has been suspended without pay since 2013, records show.  

On Oct. 18, 2012, Thomas found a video on her computer of her live-in fiancé, Dominic Madison, engaging in "sexual activities" with someone who appeared to be a student of his, according to court documents.

Soon after finding the video, Thomas called Madison, then the band director at Treasure Coast High School, to confront him, according to court documents. After their conversation, a shaken Thomas called her pastor, who wanted to ensure the "huge allegation" was accurate.

Dominic Madison, former Treasure Coast High School band director, is led into a courtroom at the St. Lucie County Courthouse on April 1, 2016, for sentencing after pleading no contest in September to charges of sexual activity with minors. Madison was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 60 years probation as a sex offender. (Photo: PATRICK DOVE/TCPALM)

Thomas asked her pastor to call authorities because she was in an emotional state, according to court documents.

Madison was arrested Oct. 19, 2012, records show. He pleaded no contest in September 2015 to five of 40 charges of sexual activity with teen girls.

On April 1, 2016, Madison was found guilty on five counts of sexual activity with a minor, according to court documents. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and 60 years probation as a sex offender, records show. A civil lawsuit filed last year against Madison by one of his victims is pending, records show.

While authorities were searching for Madison in 2012, Thomas spoke to him on the phone as he was staying at a local hotel, according to court documents. She did not tell law enforcement where Madison was until seven hours later, according to court documents. Thomas did not call Madison to help him elude arrest, records show.  

Thomas, in 2012 was charged with being an accessory after the fact and failure to notify law enforcement of knowledge of a suspect of child abuse.

These charges were dropped in April 2016 after Madison's conviction, according to court documents.

Thomas' discovery of the video, her immediate reporting of the abuse and her later identification of the victims led to Madison’s arrest and conviction, according to court documents.

"She sacrificed everything to help put him in jail," Rodriguez said.

Once the charges against Thomas were dropped, the state administrative hearing over her firing was allowed to resume, records show.

Darren Schwartz, an administrative law judge, on May 23 recommended the district revoke Thomas' suspension and subsequent termination. Thomas should be reinstated with back pay and benefits, he ruled. The board failed to prove Thomas violated the district rules and policies alleged as the basis for firing her, Schwartz wrote.

Still, the board has the jurisdiction “to reject in whole or in part those conclusions of law and interpretation of administrative rules in the recommended order," according to court documents.

A teacher must contact the state Department of Children & Families and call 911 when child abuse is suspected, the district wrote in response to Schwartz's recommendation.

Surely there must be some leeway when the person committing the abuse is your fiance. There is no question that she did what was right in reporting him. It's not like she was trying to hide anything or anyone. She was quite traumatized by the whole thing and deserves to have some leniency for not following precise protocols.

Arizona man charged with child sex crimes

By The Daily Courier 

    

A Prescott Valley man who worked for the City of Prescott has been charged with child sex offenses, after a victim came forward and alleged that he had assaulted her 20 years ago, Prescott Valley Police Sgt. Jason Kaufman said.

Neil Campbell, 59, was charged with one count each of continuous sexual abuse of a minor, sexual contact with a minor, and child molestation.

The victim, now 33 years old, came to police in July, and said Campbell had committed the acts when she was between 5 and 13 years old, and lived between Tucson and Prescott Valley.

“Based on the information received, the Prescott Valley Police Department began working cooperatively with detectives from the Tucson Police Department,” Kaufman said.

Prescott Police Deputy Chief Amy Bonney said that Campbell had worked for the City of Prescott since 2003, first as an Animal Control officer and then as a Parking Enforcement officer, but has been fired.

Campbell was arrested and booked into the Camp Verde jail.

I wonder what it's like to have sexually abused a child, and, for 20 years, thinking that you got away with it? Then, all of a sudden....

Middleburgh man faces child sex charges

     

State Police at Cobleskill announced Friday the arrest of a Middleburgh man on various charges associated with possession of and dissemination of child pornography. 

Michael G. Porter Jr., 37, was arrested after an investigation conducted by the State Police in conjunction with members of the state police Computer Crimes Unit and Homeland Security Investigations. Porter is accused of sending lewd material electronically to minors and possessing child pornography. In addition, he was charged with having sexual contact with a child younger than 11.

Porter was charged with felony promoting a sexual performance by a child, possessing a sexual performance by a child, first degree sexual abuse and disseminating indecent material to a minor, and two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child. 

He was arraigned in the Middleburgh Town Court and remanded to the custody of the Schoharie County Sheriff on $10,000 cash bail or $30,000 bond. 

State police ask anyone  who may have had inappropriate contact with Porter to contact (518) 234-3131.

Judge increases bail to $15M for California brain surgeon amid 32 new charges in child rape case

Prosecutors found video of accused abusing a 5 y/o girl and a 3 y/o boy

Caution: disturbing descriptions in this article

A Northern California brain surgeon and two nurses arrested in the spring for allegedly running a child-sex ring are facing dozens more charges following the discovery of a second video allegedly depicting even more instances of molestation. The Santa Cruz district attorney’s office announced the new charges in court on Thursday.

Dr. James Kohut and the two nurses were apprehended in May after investigators says they received video images implicating the three, who were originally charged with several child molestation counts each.

The 57-year-old married neurosurgeon was accused of plotting to impregnate women in order to give birth to children he could sexually abuse in a so-called 'taboo family lifestyle,' according to prosecutors. 

Litany of charges: Dr. James Kohut, 57 (pictured in mugshot, left), on Thursday was charged with 32 new felony counts involving child sex abuse 

Court documents filed Wednesday show investigators finding a second video clip depicting sexual acts with a five-year-old girl, a three-year-old boy and a 10-year-old boy, which led to 32 new charges.

A judge on Thursday set bail at $15million for each defendant, up from $6.45million for Kohut. His co-conspirators were previously being held on $500,000 bail each. Kohut, 30-year-old Emily Stephens and 43-year-old Rashel Brandon each pleaded not guilty to the new criminal counts on Thursday. 

The suspected child sex abuse came to light after Brandon's husband gave police a video recording he found that investigators say showed his wife and her fellow nurse Stephens molesting children. 

Kohut was the Chief of Neurology Services at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz before he was asked to leave earlier this year.

'Accomplices': Kohut was arrested in May after the husband of one of Kohut's nurses, Rashel Brandon (left), 42, allegedly found a video of her abusing a child along with another of his nurses, Emily Stephens, 29 (right)

Sources told DailyMail.com that the surgeon, whose wife is a gynecologist, had upset several staff in the unit and left following several warnings about his arrogant behavior and poor bed-side manner. Following his arrest, Kohut voluntarily suspended his California medical license. 

Court filings show that he had been warned about his conduct in the past, including an incident during which he was caught downloading pornography at work. 

The new evidence in the case, a GoPro video filmed between January 1 and May 9, shows Kohut and his two nurses having sex multiple times with the three-year-old and 10-year-old boys, according to court documents first cited by Santa Cruz Sentinel. The recording, made in Watsonville, California. allegedly depicts the defendants engaging in oral sex, sexual intercourse and sodomy with the children.

Assistant District Attorney Steve Moore wrote that for nearly 20 years, Kohut 'has had a fixed sexual desire to be part of multiple "taboo families" where the parents raise their children sexually. 'He has a specific desire to have sex with a mother and a daughter. He then wants to impregnate the daughter and raise the child sexually in the "taboo" family lifestyle.'

The prosecutor claimed in his court filing Kohut preferred children between ages 6 and 8, and preyed on children in California, Ohio, Florida, Louisiana, Nevada and Australia.

In one case, according to Moore, Kohut told a woman from Vermont that he had been in a relationship with a mother-of-two from Florida, whom he asked to call him 'daddy,' and whose 13-year-old child he fondled.

Kohut allegedly has been using the internet since 1997 to find women to create 'taboo families,' wrote Moore. One woman reported in 2001 that the doctor wanted to build a sexual family that would practice bestiality and incest. 

The married father-of-two now faces a total of 48 felony counts, up from the initial 11, with 44 for Brandon and 43 for Stephens. All three are due back in court on March 12 for a preliminary hearing.

Deputy coroner hit with child-sex charges

JAMES HALPIN

WILKES-BARRE TWP. — A deputy coroner is facing child-sex charges after being ensnared during an undercover sting operation, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.

Edward C. Smith, 60, of Willing Street, Tamaqua, is accused of soliciting sex online from what he thought was a 14-year-old boy. Investigators say Smith is a deputy coroner in Carbon and Schuylkill counties.

According to prosecutors, Smith contacted an undercover agent posing as a teen on a social networking site and tried to arrange a rendezvous despite the officer repeatedly identifying himself as a 14-year-old boy. After making plans to meet for the purposes of “kissing, cuddling and oral sex,” Smith told the agent to erase all of their chats, according to a police affidavit.

Agents with the office’s Child Predator Section arrested Smith on Wednesday evening after he arrived at the designated meeting location in Wilkes-Barre Twp. During questioning, Smith admitted to being the person behind the online conversation, saying he planned to have sex with the teen if they “clicked” upon meeting, according to the affidavit.

“Thanks to the hard work of the agents and prosecutors in our Child Predator Section, another predator is off our streets,” Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in a statement. “We have zero tolerance for the sexual abuse of children in Pennsylvania. Whoever the perpetrator may be — including a public official — we will investigate and charge these predators wherever we find them.”

Investigators charged Smith with felony counts of unlawful contact with a minor, attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and attempted criminal use of a communication facility. He was also hit with a misdemeanor count of attempted indecent assault.

Magisterial District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz arraigned Smith on Wednesday night and ordered him jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility with bail set at $250,000. A preliminary hearing was set for Sept. 27.

Tamaqua, PA

FLDS' Warren Jeffs' Son, Daughter Allege Sexual Abuse

Becky and Roy Jeffs

By Tricia Escobedo, CNN

Becky and Roy Jeffs, both adults, made the revelations to Lisa Ling on her upcoming CNN show "This is Life," which premieres Wednesday night. They both recently left the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints, or FLDS.

Becky told Ling that she first told one of her sisters, after her sister revealed she was abused as a child.

"I thought, I'm not the only one molested, he's done it to her it must be something that was in his nature," Becky Jeffs says on the show. "Where does it end? If he had this in him, how can I trust him? How is he really our prophet?"

CNN reached out to Warren Jeffs' attorney who did not have an immediate response from his client.

Becky and Roy are among four of Jeffs' children who have left the FLDS, which is based in the twin cities of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, where recent floods devastated the community.

Warren Jeffs fathered some 60 children with some of his estimated 78 wives. The elder Jeffs is serving a life sentence, plus 20 years, after he was convicted in 2011 of the aggravated sexual assaults of a 12-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl who Jeffs claimed were his "spiritual wives."

Spiritual wives, right! Like he's a spiritual prophet not a sexual profit.

Warren Jeffs

Despite his imprisonment, Jeffs is still firmly in control of the 10,000-member Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The FLDS is a breakaway Mormon sect that openly practices polygamy, something the mainstream Mormon church renounced more than a century ago.

And I thought Christians were really bad at practicing discernment. How utterly sad and pathetic for those fools who still believe in him at the great expense of their children, if not their very souls.