Former Michigan Teacher & Priest sentenced on child sex abuse charges
Jackson, Michigan -- A former teacher and priest at Lumen Christi Catholic High School charged with sexually abusing boys will learn his fate today.
James Rapp will be sentenced this afternoon on sexual charges stemming from child abuse cases in the 1980s.
Rapp was a teacher, priest, and wrestling coach at the high school in Jackson County from 1980 through 1986, and that is when prosecutors say the abuse happened.
He was convicted in 1999 for sexually abusing boys in Oklahoma when he was a pastor there.
An investigation into Rapp for crimes in Mid-Michigan started in 2013 when two victims came forward and reported the abuse to the Jackson County Sheriff's office. Lumen Christi's principal calls the abuse a horrible tragedy.
Rapp is currently serving time on the sex charges in Oklahoma. He is now 75.
He took a plea deal in Jackson County, and in February pleaded no contest to six child sex abuse charges.
As part of that deal, he is expected to be sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison.
Sentencing is this afternoon in Jackson County Judge Susan Beebe's courtroom. We will have an update after sentencing.
Just moments ago, Rapp was sentenced to 20-40 years in prison
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| Jackson, Michigan |
Daycare worker arrested after report of
child sexual abuse
By ALEX GROVES / STAFF WRITER
A 20-year-old Lake Elsinore, California daycare employee was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault after a child who attended the daycare claimed to have been sexually abused.
Jacob Blas was arrested on Thursday, April 28, on suspicion of one count of aggravated sexual assault on a minor, six counts of lewd or lavicious acts with a person under 14, one count of distributing harmful matter to a minor and six counts of oral copulation with a child under 10, online jail records show.
He was booked into Southwest Detention Center in French Valley. He remained in custody there Friday with bail set at $3 million, according to the records.
Sheriff's officials said they began to investigate the allegation on Thursday. They say the alleged abuse happened in 2015 at Rea Family Daycare on Bella Aliza in Lake Elsinore.
A person who answered the phone at the daycare shortly after 11:30 a.m. Friday declined to comment on Blas' arrest and hung up.
Blas was employed by the daycare and also lived in the home where the daycare operated, according to a Sheriff's Department news release.
Officials say Lake Elsinore detectives are working with Child Protective Services and Department of Social Services since the daycare facility is licensed.
Sheriff's investigators are asking anyone with information to call Detective David Schell if they have questions or believe their child may be a victim. He can be reached at 951-245-3300. Anyonymous tips can also be made by calling 1-800-950-2444.
Men have no business working in daycares, absolutely none.
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| Lake Elsinore |
Man jailed on child sex abuse now charged with pornography
A Shelby County man already jailed with the sexual abuse of a young girl now faces more charges.
Abraham Gonzales Hernandez, 38, was initially arrested in February on charges of second-degree sodomy and first degree rape. The arrest warrant said Hernandez "did engage in deviate sexual intercourse" with a girl who is under the age of 16 but over the age of 12. Gonzales was booked into the Shelby County Jail with bond set at $60,000.
The Westover (near Jackson) man is now charged also with possession of pornography with intent to disseminate and production of pornography, according to court records made public on Thursday. On Feb. 7, records show, Hernandez was in possession of a photograph or video of a victim under the age of 17 performing oral sex on a male, records show.
Also on Feb. 7, Hernandez did "knowingly film, print, record, photograph or otherwise produce obscene matter" of the victim "engaged in any act of sado masochistic abuse, sexual intercourse, sexual excitement, masturbation or breast nudity." The actual act depicted in the image has been redacted from court records.
Bond for Hernandez is now set at $90,000. He is set to have a court hearing in June.
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| Shelby County, TN |
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