Date for sex abuse trial of former teacher to be set Dec. 1
A trial date-setting conference has been scheduled for Skyler Evans, a former teacher and foster parent accused of sexually abusing a former student and a foster child under his care in 2024.
Evans, 34, of Fairbanks, is charged with seven counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a minor, five counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor, and three counts of production, possession and attempted production of child pornography, all felonies. Evans also faces two federal counts of felony child sexual abuse materials. That case will be tried separately in federal court.
Man Who Hid Child Sex Abuse Images Inside Crucifix Convicted In MN
The 65-year-old provided childcare for two young sisters, prosecutors say. He faces at least 15 years in federal prison.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, MN — A 65-year-old man accused of sexually abusing two young sisters he babysat has been convicted in federal court after investigators found child sexual abuse material hidden inside a crucifix on his bedroom wall, prosecutors said.
A federal jury found Alejandro Rojas Garcia guilty of attempted production of child pornography on Oct. 8 following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota. Prosecutors say Garcia is a Mexican national living in the U.S. illegally.
Garcia faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
"Garcia is a predator. A verdict cannot undo the evil he brought on two innocent girls, but it is justice," U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen said in a statement.
According to federal prosecutors, law enforcement began investigating Garcia in early April 2024 after receiving information that he had sexually assaulted two sisters, both of whom were under 13 at the time.
Garcia was a longtime friend of the girls' family, and the family trusted him to watch the children a few days a week, prosecutors said. The girls spent time at his apartment while in his care. Both girls told investigators Garcia had sexually assaulted them, according to prosecutors.
Garcia was arrested on April 5, 2024. Officers searching his apartment seized multiple cellphones, cameras, laptops, flash drives and other data storage devices, prosecutors said.
Investigators also found several hidden cameras throughout the apartment, including five in the bathroom. Prosecutors said the cameras were aimed at the toilet and toward the shower and bath area.
The storage devices contained numerous images of child sexual abuse, including images of one of the sisters and of other unidentified children, according to prosecutors.
During the search, a dog trained to detect electronic storage devices alerted officers to a wooden crucifix hanging on a wall in Garcia's bedroom. Inside the crucifix, tucked behind a bottle of holy water, officers found a micro-SD card containing child sexual abuse material involving one of the sisters, prosecutors said.
Garcia testified in his own defense at trial. He claimed he did not know about the child sexual abuse material on the devices in his apartment, prosecutors said. He acknowledged putting the material involving the girl onto the micro-SD card found in the crucifix, but denied producing it for his own sexual gratification.
Garcia also faces two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Washington County District Court in connection with the case.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Stillwater Police Department, with help from Washington County Child Protective Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dana M. Joseph, Echo D. Fatsis and William C. Mattessich are prosecuting.
Former stepfather charged with sexually abusing missing Va. teen says jury pool ‘poisoned’
The former stepfather of Katelin Akens, who was last seen 11 years ago, when she was 19, says that he will be unable to get a fair trial in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, where he’s charged with sexually abusing Akens and her sister, when they were young girls. He wants the trial moved.
James Branton, 46, is scheduled to go on trial in December for aggravated sexual battery, custodial indecent liberties and child cruelty — charges related to his alleged abuse of Akens and her sister during the period when the girls and their mother lived with Branton from 2006 through 2011.
Recently filed defense motions obtained by WTOP ask the judge for a change of venue and to preclude prosecutors from telling the jury that Akens has been missing since 2015. In addition, the defense wants to make sure jurors don’t see an image that was recovered from one of Branton’s digital devices of a naked female with a photoshopped head of Katelin Akens as an adult, attached.
In 2015, Akens’ mother dropped her off at Branton’s home, after he had agreed to give Akens a ride to catch her flight leaving from Reagan National Airport to her home in Arizona. She never boarded the plane or arrived home.
“Since 2015 Mr. Branton has been harassed by law enforcement, social media and local news outlets regarding the disappearance of Katelin Akens,” although he has not been charged in connection with her disappearance, wrote defense attorney John Spencer, in a motion to move the trial out of Spotsylvania County, or to summon jurors from out of the county. “The intense media attention surrounding the disappearance of one of the victims and Mr. Branton as the lead suspect in that matter have poisoned the potential neighboring jurisdictions.”
In September, a Spotsylvania County grand jury indicted Branton on 13 new counts of possession of child sex abuse material, with a listed offense date of April 10, 2026.
Spencer said the recent charges renewed media coverage of Akens’ disappearance.
“Social media has followed suit and already pronounced him guilty,” Spencer said.
Defense: Katelin Akens’ disappearance not relevant
In a separate motion, Branton’s attorney asked the judge to prohibit prosecutors and their witnesses from mentioning that Katelin Akens has been missing since December 2015.
Branton’s upcoming trial is for sex offenses he allegedly committed between June 2006 and July 2011, wrote Spencer. “Mr. Branton is not charged in any way with the disappearance of Katelin Akers (sic) and any mention of her disappearance in 2015 is not relevant to prove or disprove any element of the crimes for which he is charged.”
Spencer said, “The mention of Katelin’s disappearance would be unfairly prejudicial and outweigh any probative value,” nor does “the timeframe of his current criminal charges coincide with her disappearance.”
However, shortly after Branton’s arrest in April, Spotsylvania County Commonwealth’s Attorney Ryan Mehaffey told the judge that the allegations of sexual abuse demonstrated “the potential motive of Mr. Branton to kill Miss Akens.”
Defense says photoshopped image should not be shown to jury
A third defense motion seeks to prohibit the commonwealth from sharing an image that was discovered on one of Branton’s devices after a search warrant.
“The image is of a naked female with a photoshopped head of Katelin Akens attached. This image was found in the cache of Mr. Branton’s device. The facial image is that of Katelin Akens as an adult,” according to the defense motion.
The crimes for which Branton is charged “are alleged to have occurred when Katelin was approximately 11 years old,” wrote Spencer. “Counsel for Mr. Branton argues this image is not relevant to the case at bar,” referring to the child sex abuse counts.
The defense said prosecutors are unable to show how or when the image was created, or how it ended up on Branton’s device.
“Without any of the above information it would be highly prejudicial to allow the jury to see the image or any mention of it,” the defense wrote.
Branton’s trial is currently scheduled to begin Dec. 16. His attorney has requested a hearing on Oct. 30, to address the recent defense motions.
Former daycare worker accused of child sexual abuse arraigned in Michigan
HUDSONVILLE — Austin Hapner was arraigned in Ottawa County on Tuesday afternoon more than a month after his arrest on Sept. 1 for creating, possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
“This is an incredibly serious case,” said Chief Assistant Prosecutor Jake Jenison. “There are numerous victims across two separate counties for the protection of the community, your honor.”
According to documents from Ottawa County, Hapner, 20, worked at the Child Enrichment Center at Grand Valley State University’s campus in Allendale in June 2026 as a student employee.
Before that he worked at the Gro Daycare in Grand Rapids from September 2025 to June 5, 2026.
According to the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Hapner allegedly took pictures of at least 16 young children between June 2 and Sept. 1 – all in varying states of “undress.”
Several pictures were determined to have been taken in the bathrooms at the Child Enrichment Center.
Hapner then allegedly shared the pictures online in Signal and Telegram chats and referred to taking some of the pictures as “risky.”
He also referred to a young girl as “so hot.”
Hapner faces 23 new charges in Ottawa County: four counts of child sexual abuse activity, four counts of C-SAM possession, three counts of using a computer to do crime and 12 counts of capturing or distributing images of unclothed minors.
Jenison argued the charges mandated a $500,000 bond.
Hapner’s defense argued for a more “reasonable bond” due to Hapner’s “limited” criminal record.
Judge Judy Mulder sided with the prosecution.
“If I were able to post no bond, I would, because I do feel at this point I am charged with protecting the community,” Mulder said. “And there is no more vulnerable group than our young children. I am going to set the bond as the requested $500,000.”
Hapner appeared virtually in the courtroom as he’s currently housed in the Kent County Jail, where he faces multiple charges, including nine counts of aggravated child sexual abuse activity.
Resources for affected families are available on the Child Enrichment Center’s website.
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