Pastor Rapes Teen, Church Demands Victim
Apologize To Pastor’s Wife
After a youth pastor in Ohio raped a teen girl, church officials asked the young victim to apologize to her rapist’s wife.
Brian Mitchell, a North Olmsted youth pastor, will spend a decade in prison for raping a 16-year-old girl who was also a member of his church.
Mitchell, 31, pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual battery. According to reports, Mitchell sexually abused the teen on at least two separate occasions.
In a letter to the court recounting her experience at the hands of the youth pastor, the unnamed teen girl wrote:
I did not give him permission. I clearly said ‘no, didn’t want to.’
And while the story of a youth pastor raping a minor is nothing new, the details of this particular story of a youth pastor raping a teen is more heinous than most.
After the youth pastor was arrested for repeatedly raping the unnamed teen girl, officials at the Columbia Road Baptist Church blamed and shamed the young victim, and forbid the family of the unnamed teenager from attending services until she apologize to the wife of youth pastor Brian Mitchell.
The girl’s mother said in court that church officials told her their family couldn’t return to the church until she apologized to Mitchell’s wife.
That’s right, church officials demanded that the young victim apologize to the youth pastor’s wife for being raped by her husband.
As one might imagine, the family has since left the church.
And while church members blamed and shamed the teen for being raped, they showed sympathy for the rapist. The former youth pastor received around three dozen letters of support from church members.
After the news broke of the despicable behavior of church officials, in an attempt at damage control, officials at the Columbia Road Baptist Church made a post to their Facebook page reading in part:
… the accusation that an apology was required from the victim or her family to return was a result of a serious misunderstanding and does not reflect what actually transpired.
However, the church’s Facebook page has since been deleted. On the church website the following cryptic message can be found:
In regard to recent news stories featuring our church, Columbia Road Baptist Church has fully cooperated with the authorities and have nothing to add.
Former Utah teacher accused of
12 counts of child sex abuse
BY TAYLOR HARTMAN
ST GEORGE, Utah – The St. George Police Department arrested a former teacher for the second time on Tuesday, on 12 additional counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
Curtis William Payne was arrested on Jan. 30 (8th story on link), after a former student came forward and accused him of groping her while she was a student.
Payne is a former teacher at Sunset Elementary School in St. George.
“The new charges are based upon information obtained through follow-up investigations which have identified several additional victims,” the St. George Police Department said. ”The incidents span the length of Mr. Payne’s career and those interviewed now range in ages from 14 to 30 years old.”
During the investigation police said they interviewed a total of 32 individuals. Many of the interviews revealed a similar behavior pattern that involved inappropriate touching by Payne, police said.
Although many of the incidents did not progress to the point where a crime occurred, police said that several interviews revealed evidence that, ” crimes were committed and charges have been filed as a result.”
The St. George Police urged anyone who may have been a victim to reach out to them:
“Please contact the investigations Tip Line at 435-627-4338 with additional information. This is not a media line. For media inquiries, please contact Officer L. Trombley at 435-627-4339. Thank you.”
Hear Vince Gill's Song Inspired by
Child Sexual Abuse 'Forever Changed'
Country Music Hall of Fame member wrote the ballad, which resonates in the #MeToo era, about a personal experience from junior high
Vince Gill performed his ballad about sexual abuse, "Forever Changed," onstage during CRS in Nashville. Rick Diamond/GettyImages
By Joseph Hudak
In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone Country, Vince Gill detailed an unreleased song he had written titled "Forever Changed." While notable then, the deeply personal ballad takes on much more weight today: its subject matter deals with sexual abuse.
Scores of women looking for radio play and professional opportunities say they've been subjected to harassment during station visits, conventions
Gill performed the song during a concert at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium in December, but on Tuesday he gave "Forever Changed" a more broad debut, singing it during a showcase – also at the Ryman – presented by his label, Universal Music Group Nashville, for this week's Country Radio Seminar (CRS).
"You put your hands where they don't belong and now her innocence is dead and gone," sings Gill. "God was watching and he knows your name / because of you, she's forever changed."
The song was inspired by an incident in Gill's own life.
"I was not abused as a child. But I had a basketball teacher, a gym teacher, that tried. It was seventh grade and it turns out he was a little wrong, a little ill-thinking. He tried to make a move on me. All of a sudden, his hand was on my leg and I thought there is something about this that is really wrong," he told Rolling Stone in 2014. "I just got up and I ran. In seventh grade I didn't know anything about sex. That's the most disturbing of all when you prey on a child."
Gill recounted the incident again onstage at the Ryman on Tuesday afternoon, dedicating the song to those affected by sexual abuse.
In the midst of the #MeToo movement, which has spread from Hollywood to Washington, D.C., and beyond, the song carries particular emotional heft, and the decision to perform it during CRS also resonates in light of allegations of sexual misconduct that have been raised in the country radio world.
audio 3:23
Idaho Falls man gets 40 years for child sexual abuse
By JOHNATHAN HOGAN
jhogan@postregister.com
An Idaho Falls man accused of sexually abusing a child for five years was sentenced Tuesday.
William Ellwood, 37, was sentenced to 10 to 40 years in prison for each of the seven convictions for lewd conduct and 10 to 25 years for one count of child sexual abuse by making an electronic recording or photograph. All the sentences will be served concurrently.
A jury found him guilty (2nd story on link) after a weeklong trial in October. He was arrested in June after the victim told her mother, who contacted Idaho Falls Police.
Ellwood’s brother, Marcus Ellwood, testified to say his brother was a good person and that everyone commits sins.
“The good that he’s done far outweighs the bad,” Marcus said.
That's not how life works, Marcus!
District Judge Bruce Pickett said it was clear Ellwood’s family cared about him, but that he seemed very different when Ellwood was committing the assaults.
“I’ve often thought of this case as having a “Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde component,” Pickett said.
Defense Attorney Allen Browning said to the judge that he regretted having to recommend a sentence, since he did not agree with the jury’s verdict. He asked the judge for two years in prison for the determinate sentence, citing an average of three-and-a-half years in similar cases.
The victim was not present during the sentencing because she was concerned it would be too difficult, Bonneville County Chief Deputy Prosecutor John Dewey said. Her mother read a victim impact statement, saying her 15-year-old daughter was still suffering from Ellwood’s abuse.
“She feels full of shame, like everyone around her knows what was done to her,” the mother said.
Dewey read from the victim’s written impact statement that had been submitted to the court before sentencing. The victim said she was afraid to leave her house, and that she was worried her experience would make it difficult to trust others.
“He took away my innocence. Every day I wake up feeling angry, frightened and scared,” the statement said.
Dewey said the long lasting effects of sexual abuse made it a more serious crime than other felonies.
“It was degrading, it was humiliating, it was as far as sexual abuse of a child can go,” Dewey said.
Another Perry from Muskogee charged
with sexual abuse of a child
A Muskogee, Oklahoma man is being held without bond in the Muskogee County/City Detention Facility and is accused of sexual abuse of a child under 12.
Richard Leon Perry, 28, is charged with three counts of sexual abuse of a child under 12, child abuse by injury, and performing a lewd act in the presence of a minor child. The alleged crimes are said to have happened between Nov. 29 and Jan. 22.
According to court records, Perry is accused of pushing a 4-year-old into a heater, resulting in a burn. Perry also is accused of "knowingly and intentionally engaging in sexual activity in a place/location that" a 4-year-old in the residence was able to view it.
Perry will be back in Muskogee County District Court on Feb. 20.
Just 13 months ago, firefighter Zack Perry of Muskogee was arrested on child pornography charges. Are they related?
Child sex abuse case is every parent's 'nightmare,'
Alabama district attorney says
Melissa Brown, Montgomery Advertiser
A viral video depicting the sexual abuse of a child that led to the arrest of a Millbrook man may be several years old, investigators said Tuesday.
Germaine Moore, 44, is alleged by Michigan authorities to have abused three young family members between 2011 to 2017 in Alabama and Detroit. The female victims are currently ages 9, 10 and 12.
Authorities aren’t yet sure where the video that recently began circulating on social media was filmed, or when. The victim has been identified and is safe.
“Timelines are very critical when you have delayed disclosure, so that’s something we are aggressively pursuing,” Alabama Internet Crime Against Children Task Force Lt. Brooke Walker said. “We just have a timeline of access to the children, so that’s something we need to narrow down and lock in. ... There is some age to the video, and we’re trying to nail that timeline down.”
Wayne County, Michigan, authorities said on Tuesday that three female victims were under the care of Moore, their uncle, from 2011 until 2017 while their mother worked.
“It is alleged the defendant sexually assaulted the children at his mother’s home in Detroit and at his home in Alabama,” said Wayne County Director of Communications Maria Miller in an emailed statement.
Elmore County District Attorney Randall Houston said he heard about the “terrible” case days before county authorities realized the adult offender was in their jurisdiction.
“I was shocked a few days ago when I found out that it was in our backyard now,” Houston said. “These are the kind of cases, where a 6-year-old child is being forced to engage in sexual activity, that give all of us parents nightmares.”
As Alabama authorities continue to build their case against Moore, Houston said the two states are working closely together to share information between agencies and jurisdictions.
“We are going to do whatever we think will get him convicted the quickest and in prison the longest,” Houston said.
That could mean Moore’s case being adjudicated in Michigan, where he currently faces several felony charges. Houston said he expected Alabama charges against Moore to be officially filed within the next few days, but an extradition process would be triggered if authorities felt Wayne County prosecutors have a better case.
“We will work with them,” Houston said of Detroit authorities. “Whoever has the best case, that’s where he’ll end up.”
On Monday evening, 42-year-old Jerrell Washington was charged in connection to the distribution of the video, according to a Montgomery Police Department release.
“MPD identified Washington as a suspect in disseminating via social media a video that is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies,” the MPD release stated. Walker said Tuesday she wasn’t aware of any relationship between Washington and Moore, but that investigators are pursuing all leads.
Facebook is aware of the video and is working to take it down.
“If you get this video, don’t panic,” Houston said. “But please delete it. We don’t need you bring it to us, we don’t need you to make a copy. Delete it. Don’t distribute it.”
Washington is being held at the Montgomery County Detention Facility under a $100,000 bond.
Authorities executed a warrant at Moore’s Millbrook home on Monday. A woman believed to be Moore’s wife was arrested for hindering prosecution.
When asked if Moore was in possession of other pornographic materials involving minors, Walker said investigators are currently reviewing materials and technology seized from Moore’s home.
“I’ve never met a pedophile that only victimized one individual,” Houston said. “My belief is there are other victims out there.”
Washington State man sentenced to 18 years in prison
for sexual exploitation of children
By Mirror Staff
A Federal Way man was sentenced to 18 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for five federal felonies involving sexual exploitation of children Monday in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
Steven Marc Rigtrup, 38, pleaded guilty in November 2017 to enticement of a minor, two counts of distribution of child pornography, possession of child pornography and production of child pornography, according to a Department of Justice media release. He was arrested in April of 2017.
According to the Department of Justice release, law enforcement began investigating Rigtrup after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that child sex abuse photos had been uploaded from an email account associated with Rigtrup. They searched his residence and devices in February of 2017 and found more than 588 images and four videos of children being raped and molested, according to the release.
Rigtrup had previously served a year in prison after he was arrested and prosecuted in King County Superior Court in November 2014 for soliciting sex over the internet from an undercover police officer posing as a teenager.
His latest arrest was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Another source suggests Rigtrup had been an Eagle Scout sometime in his life.
Former North Dakota Police Chief Found
Guilty Of Sexual Abuse of a Child
GOLDEN VALLEY CO., ND — A jury has convicted the former police chief of LaMoure (2nd story on link) of sexually abusing a child.
A Golden Valley County jury returned its verdict Monday against James Watson.
He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on a charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child.
He’s also facing separate trials on felony sexual misconduct charges in Hettinger and Stark counties dating back to 2011.
A sentencing date has not been scheduled.
South Carolina Church To Pay $300,000
And Apologize In Child Sex Abuse Case
JOSHUA GILL
A Baptist church in South Carolina settled a child sexual abuse lawsuit (3rd story on link), agreeing to issue an apology, admit liability, and to pay $300,000 to the plaintiff.
Bryan Barnes, spokesman for First Baptist Church of Columbia, S.C., said that church leadership issued the apology and explained the terms of the settlement before the congregation on Sunday, according to the Baptist Press. The case involved a boy identified only as “Joel Doe” who alleged that Andrew McCraw, a volunteer in the church’s youth ministry, engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior with him when he was between the ages of 11 and 16.
“Today, we want to offer an apology for the inappropriate and unacceptable conduct this young man endured and express regret for what we failed to do to prevent it,” church leaders said, according to the outlet.
“No student should have to experience what this young man endured,” the church’s statement added.
Doe filed the lawsuit in October 2017 through his parents against First Baptist Church Senior Pastor Wendell Estep, and McCraw. The lawsuit alleged that McCraw initiated a relationship with Doe as a young adult mentor in a church youth program, but the relationship progressed in intimacy to inappropriate touching and sleepovers at McCraw’s house with no other adults or youths present.
The lawsuit also lists several sexually explicit text messages that McCraw sent to the boy, such as “Be there in 10. Have the lube ready,” and “Hey, anything to get that *** in a swimsuit.” Doe and his parents alleged that McCraw sometimes sent dozens of such messages to him a day.
Doe was 11 when McCraw began the abuse and was 16 by the time he alerted his parents to the inappropriate behavior.
Church leadership initially issued a rebuttal against specific allegations within the lawsuit. Church leadership contested the claims they knew about the relationship between Doe and McCraw before law enforcement started investigating McCraw.
They also contested that they knew McCraw spent time alone with the youth away from church property, and that the case was part of a church conspiracy to cover up sexual abuse. The case was one facet of a cover-up conspiracy, the lawsuit alleged, related to former First Baptist deacon John Hubner, who in 2002 was sentenced to 36 years in prison for sexually abusing an underage girl.
Church leadership also argued that “any injuries or damages sustained by the Plaintiff (Joel Doe and his parents ) were due to his own negligent, careless, reckless and grossly negligent acts or omissions.”
Good grief!
First Baptist leadership confronted McCraw after learning of the allegations of sexual abuse against him and terminated his involvement with the church.
Doe and his parents subsequently amended their lawsuit with added allegations that the church chose not to report McCraw to the police to avoid a public scandal and that they failed to notify the next church in which he served of his sexually predatory behavior.
The church has now, according to the terms of the settlement, accepted responsibility for the entire situation, and stated that even though they “had strong policies in place” and subjected McCraw to a background check before allowing him to serve. Leadership said they will reevaluate their youth protection policies and strengthen them where necessary, especially with regard to adults texting church youths.
Doe, his parents, and the church have buried the hatchet, but the youth and his parents will proceed with their lawsuit against McCraw.
How do churches handle paying out $300,000 for evil like this? Does it go under tithes or offerings?
Child sex offender sentenced in NM to 25 years for child exploitation, receiving child pornography
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — A New Mexico man was sentenced Monday to 25 years in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release for his conviction on federal child exploitation and child pornography charges.
Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case.
Sepulveda, who previously was convicted on state child sex abuse charges in California, was prosecuted under a federal anti-violence initiative that targets the “worst of the worst” offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s district attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target violent or repeat offenders primarily based on their prior criminal convictions for federal prosecution with the goal of removing repeat offenders from communities in New Mexico for as long as possible.
“This investigation is another example of how today’s child predators aren’t always in the same room with their victims,” said Jack P. Staton, acting special agent in charge of HSI El Paso. “There is no room in our communities for criminals who prey on the most vulnerable among us, and our goal is to continue to identify, arrest and pursue prosecution of individuals who commit such heinous crimes.”
Sepulveda was arrested Oct. 28, 2016, on a criminal complaint charging him with enticing a child to engage in sexual activity to produce child pornography, which was transmitted in interstate commerce. According to the criminal complaint, Sepulveda committed these crimes between July and November 2015. Court filings reflect that law enforcement authorities began investigating Sepulveda in the summer of 2016, immediately after learning about his crimes while investigating other conduct.
According to the criminal complaint, Sepulveda used an online social networking website to engage in sexually explicit communications with an underage minor between July and November 2015. In these communications, Sepulveda, who pretended to be a 16-year-old girl, sent sexually explicit photographs to the minor victim and persuaded the victim to send him sexually explicit photographs of the victim. Sepulveda also unsuccessfully attempted to meet with the victim for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.
On May 24, 2017, Sepulveda pleaded guilty to a felony information charging him with child exploitation and receiving child pornography. In entering his guilty plea, Sepulveda admitted that between July 29 and Nov. 15, 2015, he attempted to persuade the minor victim to produce pornographic images of the victim and attempted to meet the victim to engage in sexual activity through a social media website.
Sepulveda further admitted that while communicating with the victim, Sepulveda claimed to be a teen-age female. Sepulveda admitted sending the victim images of female genitalia and heterosexual pornography and having sexually explicit conversations with the victim in an effort to induce the victim to produce child pornography for Sepulveda. According to the plea agreement, between July 29 and Nov. 15, 2015, in response to Sepulveda’s requests for sexually explicit photos of the victim, the victim sent five pornographic images depicting the victim to Sepulveda.
Under the terms of his sentencing, Sepulveda is prohibited from using or accessing the social media website he used to facilitate his criminal activity. Also, if Sepulveda wishes to become a member of, visit, or access any other social media website, he must seek prior approval from his probation officer. Sepulveda also was ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.
The FBI and the Grant County (New Mexico) Sheriff’s Office assisted in this investigation.
This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 16,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2016, more than 2,600 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 800 victims identified or rescued.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.
Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
Texas man jailed on sexual abuse of a child charge
By MEGAN GRAY-HATFIELDA 69-year-old Waco man remained in the Cooke County Jail on Tuesday for reportedly sexually abusing a child.
William Hoyt Carlton is accused of committing two or more acts of sexual abuse against a child younger than 14-years-old from Sept. 6, 2008, through Dec. 31, 2013, according to a copy of his indictment filed with the Cooke County District Clerk’s Office on Nov. 1.Gainesville Police Department spokeswoman Belva McClinton said the initial incident report was taken in 2014 but a case wasn’t filed with the Cooke County District Attorney’s Office until 2017.
McClinton said the incidents he was accused of occurred in Gainesville and the victim was an 11-year-old girl.
“Due to the sensitivity of such offenses, no other information is being released at this time,” she said via email.
Details surrounding his arrest were not available as of press time, but there was a capias warrant issued following his indictment, according to court records.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Carlton remained in custody on a first-degree felony charge of continuous sexual abuse of a child with a bond set at $90,000.
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