4/4/14: Today’s Round-up of Child Sex Abuse in the News
LOCAL
Los Angeles, CA – UCLA Student Arrested On Sexual Assault Charges
A 21-year-old UCLA student faced charges Thursday of false imprisonment and sexual assault, according to a student organization. Omar Arce, the UCLA Undergraduate Students Association Council Community Service Commissioner, was arrested Wednesday morning by university police. Read more here:
Merced, CA – Merced police seeking alleged child molester
Merced police are renewing their call for assistance in locating a 33-year-old man accused of molesting several children. Detectives are seeking 33-year-old Lonnie Lee Poslof Jr., who is charged with five felony counts of child molestation, according to records in Merced Superior Court. Detective Raquel Rios said Poslof is known to befriend and become involved with women who have young children. Rios said the suspect’s goal in pursuing such relationships is to abuse the children. Read more here:
NATIONAL
Washington, DC – Sex Abuse Scandals Cost US Catholic Church Nearly $3 Billion Over 8 Years
Sexual abuse scandals have cost the U.S. Catholic Church nearly $3 billion dollars over an eight year period; and according to a report released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops last month, the scourge has not gone away. The report, titled ‘Report on the Implementation of the Charter for Protection of Children and Young People,’ said in 2013 alone sexual misconduct by clergy cost the American dioceses $108,954,109. Of that amount, just over $61 million went toward settlements while another $6.1 million went toward therapy for abuse victims. Some $28.9 million went toward attorneys’ fees, while $10.4 million went toward the support of the errant priests. Read more here:
Richmond, VA – Amid Controversy, ‘Pastor G’ Withdraws from Good Friday Preaching Event
Former Richmond Outreach Center Pastor Geronimo “Pastor G” Aguilar, who was indicted on child sex charges in Texas, says he will no longer participate in a Good Friday speaking engagement in Richmond. Aguilar was one of seven religious leaders scheduled to preach at “Rush Hour to Calvary” at Cedar Street Baptist Church of God on April 18. But given the fact that Aguilar has been indicted on multiple charges of child sex abuse, Aguilar’s inclusion in the panel didn’t sit well with many members of the Richmond community. Read more here:
Cambridge, MA – Amid Debate, Faust Announces Creation of Sexual Assault Task Force
On the heels of a surge in campus-wide and national attention on Harvard’s current sexual assault policies, University President Drew G. Faust announced the creation of a task force focused on sexual assault and misconduct in an email to the Harvard community Thursday afternoon. Read more here:
Pittsburgh, PA – Former North Catholic teacher accused of sexual abuse
A member of a Catholic religious order who is awaiting trial on charges of sexually abusing two boys and two girls about 30 years ago in Australia now faces an allegation of abuse from his days at the former North Catholic High School, a spokesman for the Diocese of Pittsburgh said on Wednesday.
Marianist (Society of Mary) Brother Bernard Joseph Hartman is accused of sexually assaulting them while at St. Paul’s College in Melbourne, according to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Read more here:
Lexington, NC – Victim Filmed Teacher Performing Sex Act On Him: Cops
A first-year teacher at a North Carolina high school faces felony sex offense charges after a student told another educator that he was in a relationship with her. Detective Benjamin Clayton of the Lexington Police Department obtained a signed statement from the victim, in which the boy outlined several encounters with Phillips between December 2013 and February 2014. “The juvenile corroborated this statement by explaining that he had a video of Phillips performing (a sex act) on him,” Clayton wrote in his report. “The juvenile showed me the video, and the video does appear to show Phillips’ face.” Read more here:
Chapel Hill, NC – New draft of UNC’s sexual assault policy criticized by task force
The Sexual Assault Task Force met Wednesday to revise the most recent draft of the University’s new sexual assault policy. Issues such as phrasing and organization, severe sanctions, notice of outcome, and supports were debated at length during the meeting. Read more here:
Miami, FL – Mom Wants $25 Million For Son’s Alleged Sex Abuse
“The number I’m asking for is $25 million.” With that, attorney Jeffrey Herman put a price tag on the pain and suffering he argues a little boy has experienced as the result of being bullied and sexually abused at a Miami charter school. Read more here:
Conway, AR – Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Sexual Assault Awareness Event
In observance of April being Sexual Assault Awareness month, the Interfraternity Council, UCAPD, Athletics and Student Life have organized “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” during x-period on Thursday, April 3. The walk will be at the Crafton Alumni Pavilion on campus and everyone is encouraged to participate. Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is an award-winning national event that is focused on stopping rape, sexual assault and gender violence by getting men to walk a mile in high heels to play on the expression “you can’t really understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.” Read more here:
Charleston, IL – League to raise sexual assault awareness
Even though conversation about the controversial message written on the Doudna Fine Arts Center steps last year has died down, that does not mean the issue of sexual assault has been resolved.
This is why during the month of April the Women’s Empowerment League is hosting various events and activities to raise more awareness on campus. One of the events planned is called the Slut Walk. “We’re taking the word slut and reclaiming it. You can dress up however you want, however you see the word slut. What we want to prove is it doesn’t matter what you wear, rape is rape,” said Jenny Greenberg, the co-president of the Women’s Empowerment League. Read more here:
Kansas City, MO – Sexual assault allegations at Southwest Early College Campus
A Southwest Early College Campus student said she was repeatedly raped inside the school building over the past month. Kansas City police are currently investigating the claims as well as Kansas City Public Schools administrators. According to a police report, two suspects, a 14-year-old male and 13-year-old female, were taken into custody Wednesday. The report also states the 14-year-old victim, a student with autism, said she had been raped multiple times over the past month while at SWECC by the male suspect as the female suspect “would stand in the hallway and act as a lookout.” Read more here:
Jersey City, NJ – Jersey City man, 56, charged with molesting daughter when she was 5: cops
A 56-year-old Jersey City man has been charged with sexually assaulting his daughter and masturbating in front of her when she was 5, authorities said. The man’s bail was set at $200,000, cash or bond, and he was ordered to have no contact with his daughter, who is now 7. The 56-year-old was charged with sexual assault by contact, endangering the welfare of a child, child abuse and child neglect. Read more here:
Waynesville, MO – Waynesville man charged with child molestation
A Waynesville man with a history of sexual crimes has been accused of molesting a child who is under the age of 14 multiple times. Emmanuel C. Fajardo, 54, of Waynesville, has been charged with child molestation in the first degree and endangering the welfare of a child after an extensive investigation that began in December regarding incidents that took place last fall. The victim told investigators that she had been molested at least eight times by Fajardo, according to court documents. Fajardo allegedly would enter the child’s bedroom at night and would inappropriately touch and kiss the victim. Read more here:
Grand Rapids, MI – FBI: Kentwood man, a ‘monster,’ used Skype to share toddler’s sexual assault
A self-described “monster” used Skype to transmit the sexual assault of a 2-year-old relative over the Internet, the FBI said in criminal complaint. The complaint accuses Clint Andrews Williamson, 28, of two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor for producing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography over the Internet. The documents also detail an investigation into a website dedicated to sharing child pornography, and includes disturbing forums where users discuss topics such as the violent sex assaults of children, killing children, where to find “sexy little kids,” and how to stay out of trouble “in the world of CP.” Read more here:
Gainesville, FL – Church Volunteer Accused of Molesting Toddler
A church volunteer is behind bars Accused of molesting a two-year-old in a North Central Florida church. While he has been around other children, it is not known yet whether there are more victims. It all happened at the Parkview Baptist Church here in Gainesville, on Northwest 13th street. The little girls’ mother noticed something wasn’t right as she was bathing her daughter and immediately called police. Floyd Wilson is a 64-year-old Gainesville resident charged with sexual battery upon a person under 12 years of age. Actually, his victim is only two-years-old. Iris Howard a Gainesville resident said, “It’s very shocking to know this is happening so close to the neighborhood, at church especially.” Read more here:
Harvey, LA – Accused Harvey child predator charged anew in sexual battery case
For the third time in recent months, Jefferson Parish prosecutors have asked a grand jury to indict an accused child abuser purely to correct a procedural flaw in how they filed charges in the first place. Jessie S. Wallace Jr., 33, who now lives in Springfield, was indicted by a grand jury last week with two counts of sexual battery and indecent behavior with a juvenile, incidents involving a babysitter who says he fondled her at his Harvey home starting when she was 10 years old. Read more here:
Lafayette, LA – Pastor of Scott church convicted in Lafayette for trying to rape child more than 3 decades ago
The pastor of a Scott church has been convicted in Lafayette for trying to rape a child more than three decades ago. Assistant District Attorney Ronald Dauterive tells that Ernest Carter, 69, was accused by a family member who reported the crime to authorities in 2012. Carter, pastor of New Life Pentecostal Holiness Church, was accused of molesting the girl between 1969 and 1977, from the time she was 6 years old until she was 14. Read more here:
Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Ex-wife testifies in Broward molestation trial of youth mentor
The former wife of a youth mentor accused of repeatedly molesting teenage boys in his care took the stand on Wednesday, telling a Broward jury that she once walked in on her husband and one of his accusers. Aretha Wimberly, a Fort Lauderdale code enforcement officer, was married to Jeffery London from 2000 until 2003, but she testified that she was always uncomfortable with the fact that her husband kept taking charge of teenage boys who lived with them for months at a time. Read more here:
Mt. Laurel, NJ – Mt. Laurel YMCA to host sex-abuse prevention training
The YMCA of Burlington and Camden Counties, along with the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance, is coordinating the program with Darkness to Light, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization and creator of the “Stewards of Children” curriculum. The two-hour program covers a five-step action plan. Participants will learn the facts and how to minimize opportunity by eliminating or reducing isolated, one-on-one situations to decrease the risk for abuse. They also will learn how to have conversations with children about sexual issues and boundaries, recognize signs of abuse, and take responsible action to address suspicious behavior. Read more here:
INTERNATIONAL
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada – Coach jailed for sex abuse
A Kamloops, B.C., hockey coach who sexually abused a player has been sentenced to 12 months in jail. Heidi Ferber, an assistant hockey coach for a Minor Hockey Association girls’ team, pleaded guilty to sexual interference of a person under 16 and sexual exploitation. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Hope Hyslop also sentenced Ferber to 18 months’ probation, required her to be registered as a sex offender for 20 years and to undergo a psychiatric assessment. “Ms. Ferber took advantage of her for her own sexual purposes,” Hyslop said Wednesday. “It was a position of trust.” Read more here:
St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada – Man accused of molesting younger siblings changes plea to not guilty
A man accused of sexually assaulting his younger siblings for more than a decade has decided he wants his case to go to trial after all. The man — who can’t be named to protect the identity of the complainants — was back in Newfoundland Supreme Court in St. John’s, where he entered not-guilty pleas to more than a dozen charges Wednesday. Read more here:
Victoria, Australia – Man charged after investigation into alleged abuse of children in state care in Victoria
The ABC can reveal the 23-year-old man from McKinnon was charged with one count of rape and two counts of sexual penetration of a child under the age of 16. A 21-year-old man from Dandenong South has also been arrested and interviewed, but not charged. In a related move, a Melbourne court has issued a dozen intervention orders over the past two days against a number of men, prohibiting them from contacting, harassing or assaulting certain children. The developments come in the wake of revelations last month by the ABC that groups of men are targeting vulnerable children in out-of-home care for sexual abuse. The men are allegedly using drugs, alcohol and consumer goods such as mobile phones to entice the children. Read more here: