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Tennessee mom traded vape pens for sex with minors – police
The woman is charged with the statutory rape of at least nine boys,
and allegedly plied them with gifts in exchange for sex
Melissa Blair, 38, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with the statutory rape of nine boys at McMinn Central High School in Englewood, Tennessee. The mom allegedly gave the boys – aged between 14 and 17 – gifts, including vape pens, in exchange for sexual favors.
Blair has been charged with 18 counts of statutory rape, four counts of human trafficking by patronizing prostitution, solicitation of a minor, and forfeiture of personal property, News Channel 9 reported.
Speaking at a press conference reported by the local outlet, McMinn County Sheriff Joe Guy said that the alleged encounters happened between spring 2020 and late 2021. His deputies began investigating the case when they received a tip from the Tennessee Department of Children's Services in December. A search was carried out on Blair’s house that month, and she turned herself in on Tuesday after she was indicted.
Blair was released on a $100,000 bond later that night, on the condition that she stay away from her alleged victims and from school property. During the time of her alleged offenses, Blair was active in the school’s booster club, and had a child in the school system who has since been transferred.
“We are devastated at this point,” a mother of one of the victims told News Channel 9. “I cannot in words describe what it feels like to be going through what we’re going through right now. It is every emotion that you can imagine. And none of them happy.”
Englewood is a small town of just over 1,500 people, located in rural southern Tennessee. However, the salacious allegations against Blair have garnered national attention. Speaking at Tuesday’s press conference, District Attorney Steve Crump said that despite the media attention, “a case like this … is not about a headline, it's not about a trial. It's about trying to make as much as possible, our victims whole.”
NEKHS caseworker embedded with VSP in St. Johnsbury
charged with sexual abuse of a child
February 25, 2022
CONCORD — A Concord resident who worked with Northeast Kingdom Human Services and Vermont State Police in St. Johnsbury, was arrested today as a fugitive from justice.
Investigators say 43-year-old Kevin Godfrey was picked up on a warrant from the state of Texas that charges him with sexual assault of a child, and sexual abuse of a child.
Godfrey previously worked for Northeast Kingdom Human Services as a mental health caseworker and was embedded with the Vermont State Police at the St. Johnsbury Barracks.
On Dec. 3, 2021, the San Angelo Texas Police Department requested assistance in interviewing Godfrey, as he was a suspect in a child sex abuse case they were investigating.
The San Angelo Police Department had learned that Godfrey resided in Concord, Vermont, although they were unaware that he worked in partnership with the Vermont State Police. The Vermont State Police partners with local mental health agencies to select mental health caseworkers for assignment to VSP barracks. Caseworkers are employees of these individual agencies, and then in collaboration with VSP are assigned to work with troopers from a particular barracks.
In this case, Godfrey was hired by Northeast Kingdom Human Services and began work at the St. Johnsbury Barracks in early December 2020.
When VSP became aware of the Texas allegations upon notification from San Angelo police, VSP notified Northeast Kingdom Human Services of the complaint. Detectives from outside the St. Johnsbury Barracks were assigned to interview Godfrey in efforts to assist Texas authorities.
Police say he was interviewed Dec. 3, 2021, and his access to state facilities was immediately revoked. The information gathered during the interview was shared with Texas authorities, who obtained a grand jury indictment earlier this month that resulted in the issuance of an arrest warrant.
Today, at approximately 2 p.m., Godfrey was located at his home in Concord and taken into custody without incident. He was jailed at the Northeast Regional Correctional Facility and is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday.
31-year-old male sentenced to 29 years for child sex abuse
by Mollie Smith
Saturday, February 26th 2022
Klamath County, Ore. — A 31-year old male was sentenced to 350 months in the care, custody, and control of the Oregon Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to several counts of child sex abuse.
"In 2020, Juttner was being investigated by Naval Criminal Investigation Services (NCIS) in Seattle, on an unrelated case involving juveniles," the press release reads. "During this investigation, Juttner disclosed his abuse of several victims in Klamath County. Juttner consented to an interview with NCIS investigators and disclosed that he had sexually abused at least five different children between March 2007 and January 2011. The children ranged in age from 3 through 9 years during the time of their abuse."
Juttner was charged based on his own admissions and the statements of three separate victims. Judge Adkisson acknowledged the victims for their strength in their willingness to come forward and hold Juttner accountable for his actions.
"Sergeant Kaber, of the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, conducted the local investigation and was able to confirm the identities of the victims in Klamath County," the press release states. "During the sergeant’s subsequent investigation three victims were willing to proceed with prosecution."
While none of the victims had previously disclosed their abuse, they all indicated they had struggled emotionally and psychologically throughout their lives and continue dealing with the trauma.
"The victims in this matter were courageous. The trauma remains their struggle. We hope the conclusion of the criminal matter provides a degree of closure."
After federal indictment, ex-Cobb deputy indicted
on state sex abuse charges
By Alexis Stevens,
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Feb 25, 2022
The Cobb County grand jury has indicted a former sheriff’s deputy on five counts of sexual exploitation of children, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The indictment comes about two weeks after Peter Bilardello was indicted on federal charges for allegedly distributing child pornography while working in the sex offender unit, the U.S. Attorney’s Office previously said.
In August, Cobb police arrested Bilardello at his Marietta home and booked him into the county jail. He is accused of chatting about performing sexual acts with children on a social media website, according to investigators.
Bilardello is facing both state and federal charges and has two defense attorneys. In a statement released earlier this month, he said he is eager to confront the allegations.
“I have spent 17 years as a public servant with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office with a commendation for bravery and my response without hesitation in an active shooter incident at the Kennesaw FedEx facility in 2014,” Bilardello said in a statement through an attorney. “I feel the brunt of both the state and federal government leveling charges at me.
“I voluntarily resigned as a result of the allegations so that I can concentrate on my family and defense. I await a full opportunity to confront these allegations in a court of law,” the statement said. “I appreciate the support of my family and friends during this time.”
According to prosecutors, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report in November 2019 that a MeWe social media user had allegedly uploaded and shared approximately 12 images depicting children under 12 years old in sexually explicit conduct. The NCMEC gave that information to the GBI, which determined that the account user was likely located in Marietta.
The GBI then contacted the Cobb County Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
On Aug. 10, Cobb police said it identified the account user as Bilardello. The phone number associated with the social media account was linked to Bilardello, according to police.
He had been employed by Cobb County for more than 15 years, including a role in the sex offender unit of the sheriff’s office, according to investigators.
ND Child sex offender given 293 months for sexual abuse of a child
by: Hannah Woosley-Collins
Posted: Feb 25, 2022 / 09:02 PM CST
A judge sentenced a Turtle Mountain man to over 24 years in prison on Friday after an investigation revealed sexual abuse of a minor.
The investigation, which began in September 2020, showed Jimmie Moore inappropriately touched a 10-year-old while she was sleeping on a couch at a family member’s home, according to a press release. Moore was interviewed and admitted to attempting to inappropriately photograph the child as well.
The 58-year-old was previously convicted of sexual abuse, including of children, in Alabama and was sentenced to 10 years. He was a registered sex offender at the time of the 2020 incident.
Moore received an exactly 293-month sentence and a lifetime of supervised release.
Retired doctor charged with child sexual assault in Spotsylvania
Keith Epps
21 hrs ago
A retired local doctor was arrested and charged with an alleged child sexual assault that took place more than 34 years ago, police said.
Michael B. O’Brien, 66, who worked for many years as an orthopedic surgery specialist, was arrested by Virginia State Police on Friday at his home in Spotsylvania County. He was charged with forcible sodomy of a child under the age of 13 and placed in the Rappahannock Regional Jail, where he is being held without bond.
The charge carries the possibility of life in prison.
Jail records list the offense date as Oct. 1, 1987, and police said it occurred as part of O’Brien’s practice in the Fredericksburg area. State police Sgt. Brent Coffey said more charges are pending and that the investigation is ongoing.
Coffey said state police and the FBI began an investigation in January and took O’Brien into custody without incident. No further details were released regarding the allegations against O’Brien.
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