A high school football player killed his pregnant schoolmate
He has been sentenced to 65 years in prison.
..
He says she waited too long for an abortion
An Indiana teenager who said he killed a pregnant schoolmate because she waited too long to tell him about her pregnancy has been sentenced to 65 years in prison, according to authorities.
Aaron Trejo was sentenced Tuesday in St. Joseph County Superior Court for the December 2018 killing of 17-year-old Brena Rouhselang. He had pleaded guilty late last year to murder and feticide.
The killing happened after Rouhselang, a cheerleader and junior at Mishawaka High School, told Trejo that she was six months pregnant, authorities said.
Trejo, then 16 and a member of the school's football team, was alleged to be the father, and neither of them wanted to have the child, according to court documents.
He confessed in December 2018 to stabbing Rouhselang and wrapping her in a plastic bag, having planned to kill her and the baby for about a week, court documents say.
"I took action. ... I took her life," he said, because by the time she told him about the pregnancy, it was too late for her to have an abortion, according to an affidavit.
So clever! He took his own as well.
Trejo stabbed the girl with a knife because he thought it would kill her quickly, court documents alleged. She also was choked with her scarf, and he put a black plastic bag over her, put her body in a dumpster and threw her phone and the knife in a river, court papers said.
Trejo received 55 years for murder and 10 years, to be served consecutively, for feticide. He was given more than a year of credit -- 394 days -- for time already served.
He had faced up to 65 years for murder and up to 16 years for feticide.
It appears obvious he was sentenced as an adult.
Rolling Hill Estates, CA, Child Predator Who Showed up at 9-y/o’s Home Gets Over 10 Years in Prison
BY ERIKA MARTIN, KTLA
A Rolling Hills Estates man who posed as a delivery driver to visit the home of a 9-year-old girl he met on social media was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years and eight months in state prison for child sex crimes, prosecutors.
James Anthony Gonzales, 36, pleaded no contest last November to one count of child pornography possession and two counts of lewd acts on a child under 14, both felonies, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
Gonzales was convicted of groping an underage relative in a 2017 incident, and a similar crime in 2003, when officials say he inappropriately touched a minor who was a family friend.
He was arrested in November 2018 after showing up at the 9-year-old’s home under the guise of delivering food, the DA’s office said.
The girl’s mother called authorities, who discovered Gonzales had been posing as a 13-year-old boy and contacting young girls on TikTok, a video networking and messaging app.
The Sheriff’s Department issued an alert last February, saying Gonzales had initiated “sexual and vulgar” conversations with more than 20 children via TikTok. He had several profiles across other platforms, including Instagram, Snapchat and MeetMe, detectives said.
An investigation also turned up child porn on the defendant’s cellphone and computer, prosecutors said.
Gonzales has been in custody since February, according to inmate records.
Court records show he was previously facing eight other counts in the case, including communicating and meeting with minors with sexual intent.
Springville, UT, man arrested for alleged
aggravated sexual abuse of child
By Gephardt Daily StaffSPRINGVILLE, Utah, — A Springville man has been arrested for alleged aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony.
The statement said that on Dec. 6, the arresting officer met with a complainant who reported a sexual offense. The complainant said her teenage daughter had told her that day that Monge, who was in a position of trust with her family, had sexually abused her since she was in third grade.
The victim was at the police station with her mother and she said that Monge would touch her private areas both under and over her clothes and had been doing so “since she was a small child,” the statement said.
The victim also said that when she was 12 or 13, Monge showed her a video that he allegedly recorded of her in the shower and using the toilet and that there there were holes in the walls of the bathroom. After he showed her this video, the victim said she was using the restroom and “noticed an iPod recording through the hole in the wall,” the statement said.
She went on to say that Monge would threaten her if she she told anyone.
The victim stated the most recent attempt at touching her private parts was one to two months prior to making the report. “She said he was sitting next to her and had touched her leg and progressed toward her pubic region,” the statement said. “She said she got up and locked herself in a room to escape him.”
The mother showed several text messages from the suspect to the victim’s cell phone. “The text messages were worded in such a way that it made the victim uncomfortable and contributed to reporting the circumstances,” the statement said.
The victim said she self harmed to punish herself because she thought it was her fault, the statement said.
Monge was transported to the Utah County Jail Monday, where he’s being held without bail.
Dozens allege abuse at N.H. youth detention center
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (AP) — More than two dozen men and women say they were physically, sexually and emotionally abused as children at New Hampshire’s state-run youth detention center over the course of three decades, according to attorneys who have filed a class action lawsuit on their behalf.
The lawsuit filed Saturday in Merrimack County Superior Court comes six months after two former counselors were charged with repeatedly raping a teenage boy at the Youth Development Center in Manchester, New Hampshire, in the late 1990s. The victim in that case is now the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit filed by attorneys representing 35 others who say they were abused between 1982 and 2014.
“This lawsuit seeks to hold the state of New Hampshire and others responsible for the lives they forever destroyed and to bring about system change so that this can never happen again to another child in New Hampshire,” the lawsuit states.
The victims who have come forward were between 11 and 17 at the time, and the perpetrators were both men and women, attorney Rus Rilee told The Associated Press. Of the 36 victims, approximately 30 allege they suffered sexual, physical and emotional abuse, were deprived of an education and kept in solitary confinement, while the rest fall into one or more of those categories, Rilee said. They were terrorized into keeping quiet, and even those who sought help while sporting black eyes, swollen faces and bleeding genitals were told that the abuse had not occurred, the lawsuit alleges.
“These are boys and girls that were taken into state custody and then beaten, raped and tortured by state employees whose sole duty was to protect them,” Rilee said. “The people that were in charge knew what was going on, and they covered it up.”
The Associated Press doesn’t generally identify victims of sexual assault, but David Meehan, who is now 38, said he wanted to come forward publicly after realizing that he and others were harmed not just by individual staffers but by a system.
“They didn’t do anything they were supposed to do to protect me as a person or any of my rights as a human being,” said Meehan, the lead plantiff in the lawsuit. “The juvenile justice system needs some type of oversight. I understand the need for privacy to protect the children, but they have put such a canopy over everything that we don’t know if the kids are safe.”
The lawsuit names a dozen defendants, including the state, the detention center and the agencies overseeing it. It also names the two former counselors facing criminal charges — Jeffrey Buskey and Stephen Murphy — and four other men who worked at the center, which houses children who have been ordered to a secure institution by the juvenile justice system.
The Department of Health and Human Services does not comment on pending litigation, and referred questions to the attorney general's office, which in July announced a broad criminal investigation into the youth center, including whether additional children were subject to physical or sexual violence. The spokeswoman for that office said Saturday that officials will review the lawsuit as that investigation continues. Attorneys for Buskey and Murphy did not respond to requests for comment.
There is more on this story on the Journal Review.
Oregon LDS woman sues church for reporting husband’s child sex abuse confession
BY CNN WIRESALEM, Ore. — An Oregon woman whose husband is in prison for sexually abusing a child is suing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints for reporting his confession to state authorities.
In the lawsuit, Kristine Johnson said her husband confessed his sexual abuse to clergy as required by church rules. That confession was passed along to state authorities, forming the basis of their investigation, she says.
She filed the lawsuit in Marion County Circuit Court last week and seeks $9.5 million for loss of income, emotional distress and her family’s loss of her husband’s companionship. The lawsuit, which argues the church went against its own policy that considers confessions confidential, also seeks an additional $40,000 for his criminal defense.
Couple followed church rules, wife says
“In response to that, plaintiff Kristine Johnson and Timothy Johnson followed the rules and scriptures of the church, which … requires and admonish church members to ‘confess their sins unto the brethren before the Lord,'” the lawsuit says.
But the church failed to advise the couple that if he followed the guidance and confessed his sins, it would report him to state authorities. The church should have warned her husband that his confession would not stay private, the lawsuit says.
Timothy Samuel Johnson, 47, was arrested in 2017 and is serving 15 years in prison in Pendleton, Oregon, for abusing an underage girl, according to the state Department of Corrections.
Church stands by its decision
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints said it considers protecting victims a top priority, and has a 24-hour help line to report abuse.
“The church teaches that leaders and members should fulfill all legal obligations to report abuse to civil authorities,” church spokesman Eric Hawkins said in a statement.
Oregon is one of 28 states that considers clergy among professionals mandated by law to report known or suspected instances of child abuse or neglect. But that law makes some exceptions, and statutes in some states specify circumstances under which a communication is “privileged” or allowed to remain confidential.
Christine Bartholomew, an associate professor at the University at Buffalo School of Law, told The Oregonian that the lawsuit could have dire consequences.
“If successful, this litigation would push courts and these religious organizations toward less transparency than more,” Bartholomew said. “And you have to wonder if that would create the environment where abuse can really fester.”
Suring, Wis, ice cream shop owner convicted
of child sex assault
Kent Tempus, Green Bay Press-GazetteOCONTO – The co-owner of a Suring ice cream shop was convicted Thursday of a felony child sex assault charge in connection to accusations that he improperly touched a female employee.
Judge Michael T. Judge allowed Readman to remain free on a $5,000 cash bond until his sentencing, which is set for March 6. Readman faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison.
The girls testified Readman either touched, squeezed, slapped or grabbed their buttocks at the Dairy Delite Depot.
Seven defense witnesses, however, testified they never saw any inappropriate conduct. Readman did not testify in his own defense.
He denied any wrongdoing in a summer 2018 interview with Suring Police Chief Phil Christensen and Division of Criminal Investigation agent Chad Racine.
“I never grabbed one of those girls’ butts. Why would I do that?” Readman said in video evidence played for the jury. “I have no cause to do that. I’m not wired that way. I’m just not.”
Readman was charged July 31, 2018 after a two-month investigation.
The six-man, six-woman jury deliberated about two hours and 20 minutes after hearing nearly 10 hours of testimony from 14 witnesses Tuesday and Wednesday.
The trial evidence included several snippets of security video from the store, none of which showed Readman touching anyone’s backside. It did show other conduct with young employees that District Attorney Edward Burke called questionable, including Readman getting very close to one youth’s face, pinning another with his arm against the freezer, and rubbing another’s upper arm.
Readman was convicted of the felony charge concerning incidents with a girl who said the touching occurred during store’s 2017 season, when she was 14 and 15 years old.
On the stand, she described three instances wherein her buttocks were touched or squeezed by Readman, once when she hugged him and twice when he hugged her, though she said it happened more than five times.
The girl said she didn’t tell anyone what happened, including her mother, because she didn't want to lose her job. She said she wasn’t mad at Readman, though she was scared by him.
There is more to this story at the Green Bay press Gazette.
Platte City, MO, man sentenced for 6 years of
sexual abuse of child from the age of 2
BY KATIE BERNARDA Platte City man who sexually assaulted a child from the time she was 2 until she was 8 will spend up to 30 years in prison.
Vanmeter was initially charged in 2017 after the girl, who was 8 years old at the time, reported the conduct to a staff member at school after attending a “bad touch” presentation.
Vanmeter admitted in court to abusing the girl at least five or six times over the six year period.
“Words cannot adequately convey the horrific crimes this man inflicted on this young child,” Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said in a news release. “This defendant received a 30-year sentence, but he imposed a life sentence on his victim.”
Vanmeter will become eligible for parole after 25 years and six months.
Edinburg, Tx, med tech suspended after
arrest on child sex charge
Martinez turned himself in to police on Dec. 3.
The panel will hold a temporary suspension hearing for Martinez, unless that hearing is waived by Martinez, according to the news release. The temporary suspension will remain in place until the board takes further action.
Jail records indicate the alleged offense occurred on July 31, 2019.
Martinez was bailed out of jail on a $25,000 bond.
Cimarron County, OK, Couple Arrested for
20+ Child Sex Crimes
Joe DenoyerCIMARRON COUNTY, Oklahoma (KVII) — Two people in Cimarron County are being charged with over twenty counts of various child sexual crimes.
According to Oklahoma District Court Records, James Boyd, Jr. and Jennifer Boyd are both charged with:
* One count of lewd or indecent proposals to a child under 16,
* 16 counts of soliciting sexual conduct or communication with a minor and
* Four counts of child sexual abuse.
Court records say both James and Jennifer made their first appearances in Cimarron County District Court on Jan. 8, with another appearance on Jan. 10.
Another hearing for both defendants is scheduled for Valentine’s Day.
That seems appropriate!
Cimmaron Co., OK
Jury finds DeKalb, Ill, man guilty in child sex assault case
By Kevin Solari - ksolari@shawmedia.com
SYCAMORE – A DeKalb man faces life in prison after a jury found him guilty on all charges related to sexually assaulting two young girls Friday after a week-long trial.
Carlos A. Botello, 27, was first charged with predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child three years ago. The two girls' mother testified this week that she learned of the abuse from them on New Year's Eve 2016 and that the most recent abuse had occurred on Christmas Eve 2016.
Church van driver charged with child sex assaults
in Glen Burnie, MD
Jenny Fulginiti WBAL Digital Editor
GLEN BURNIE, Md. —
A man known to drive a church transportation van in Glen Burnie has been arrested and charged with 19 counts of sexual assault on a child, Annapolis police said.
Officials said they received a report Sunday of sex offenses that occurred in the unit block of Juliana Circle West against a 13-year-old girl. The investigation widened to include reports of child pornographic images, police said.
The suspect was identified as Jose Argueta, 44, of Glen Burnie. Police said Argueta met the victim while driving a church transportation van, police said. It was reported that on four occasions, Argueta sexually assaulted the girl and during some of the assaults, pornographic photos of the victim were taken by Argueta.
On Thursday, Argueta was arrested and is charged with 19 counts relating to the assaults. He is being held at the Jennifer Road Detention Center without bond.
On Friday, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer against Argueta.
In a statement, ICE said: "On Jan. 10, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer with Anne Arundel County Detention Center for unlawfully present Salvadoran national Jose Argueta (also known as Jose Angel Mendez) pursuant to his arrest for several charges related to child sexual abuse, possession of child pornography, and other related assault and sex abuse charges."
The Annapolis Police Department is urging anyone with information about these incidents or the suspect to contact Detective Pyles at 410-260-3439 or tnpyles@annapolis.gov. Anonymous tips can also be sent through Metro Crime Stoppers of Maryland.
More charges filed against Las Vegas pastor
accused of child sex abuse
Elaine Emerson
LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -- A Las Vegas pastor accused of inappropriate contact with underage children faces additional child sex charges, according to court records.
According to Las Vegas Justice Court Records, an additional 24 charges were filed against Retana in a separate case filed in late December. The charges include ten counts of kidnapping a minor, 13 counts of lewdness with a child under the age of 14 and one count of dissuading a person to report a crime, court records show.
Retana's next court hearing was set for Feb. 3.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said Retana was a pastor at a church (Oasis De Paz Ministries) near the 2000 block of Michael Way, near Lake Mead Boulevard east of Decatur Boulevard.
Since Retana was a pastor, police said they believe there may be more unidentified victims. Anyone with information is urged to contact LVMPD at 702-828-3421 or CrimeStoppers online or at 702-385-5555.
Explicit sexual images of children found during
Atlanta narcotics investigation
Alexander Popp FCN staff
New charges were filed against a metro Atlanta man this week after analysis of a cellphone seized during an undercover drug operation in September allegedly yielded dozens of images depicting child sexual abuse.
Carvalho was initially charged with multiple narcotics offenses in September 2019 when he allegedly attempted to sell LSD and THC vaporizer cartridges to detectives with the Johns Creek Alpharetta Forsyth County Task Force.
According to a press release issued Friday, Carvalho was reportedly identified by the task force and arrested after undercover detectives discovered an advertisement for MDMA and LSD online, and organized a deal for LSD and THC at a location in Forsyth County.
Following Carvalho’s arrest, detectives were able to continue their investigation into the incident, obtaining a search warrant for Carvalho’s cellphone “due to the drug talk that was communicated with the undercover detective,” the report states.
“In November 2019, the District Attorney’s Office requested assistance from the [Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office’s High Tech Crimes Unit] regarding an existing narcotics investigation,” the report states. “The analysis yielded 26 images of child sexual abuse with victim children as young as 3 years of age.”
The images allegedly included one photo of a known and identified victim child, the report states.
After the images were discovered, 26 additional warrants were issued for Carvalho’s arrest and he was transported to the Forsyth County Jail from an address in Douglasville.
As of Friday evening, he was held in custody under a bond of $288,880.
No comments:
Post a Comment