Today's list includes:
a university; substitute teacher; head of a Montessori school; children's minister; parents; friends; school bus driver; Christian missionary; and a caregiver
Michigan State University Reaches $500 Million Settlement With Nassar Abuse Victims
AMY HELD
Michigan State University has agreed in principle to pay $500 million to settle claims by hundreds of women and girls who say disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar abused them.
Under the terms of the agreement, the school will pay $425 million to those 332 current claimants, with $75 million set aside in a trust fund for any future claimants who allege sexual abuse by Nassar.
Before the agreement is final, the claimants must approve the agreement and a judge must sign off on it, according to a lawyer representing several dozen young women.
Nassar worked for around two decades at Michigan State University and with USA Gymnastics for some three decades.
Gold medalists Jordyn Wieber, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and McKayla Maroney are among those who say Nassar abused them under the guise of medical treatment. Maroney wrote in a victim impact statement that the abuse began when she was around 13 or 14 and didn't stop until she left the sport years later.
"How could Larry Nassar have been allowed to assault so many women and girls for more than two decades?" she wrote. "The answer to that question lies in the failure of not one, but three major institutions to stop him — with Michigan State University, USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee."
USA Gymnastics, the United States Olympic Committee and Twistars gymnastics club, located in Michigan, are also named in the lawsuit, according to Jamie White, who represents 46 survivors.
MSU is the only entity that has so far agreed to settle.
In a statement, Brian Breslin, chairman of MSU's Board of Trustees says the school recognizes "the need for change on our campus and in our community around sexual assault awareness and prevention." Resolving the litigation, he adds, "is a positive step in moving us all forward."
White tells NPR the agreement is bringing "a sense of relief." These young women will never be made whole from the abuse that occurred," White says. "But this is a step in the right direction."
Nassar will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars. He was sentenced to 60 years in prison on federal child pornography charges. He received two additional sentences amounting to decades behind bars, after admitting to molesting young gymnasts.
While many of the claimants are former MSU athletes, not all of them encountered Nassar at the school.
"Nassar's tenticles went outside of the university as well," says White, who adds that MSU failed to act after receiving reports of Nassar's behavior, allowing him to continue the abuse elsewhere.
White says that Nassar's MSU's employment contract said he was paid to do "community outreach. ... So Michigan State knowing that these problems existed with Dr. Nassar allowed him and paid him to actually go into the community and wear their colors and wear their badge of honor where he ultimately committed these atrocities."
Michigan State contends that Nassar was fired in September 2016, less than a month into an investigation following MSU police receiving a report of alleged sexual assault.
But Kate Wells of Michigan Radio reports that the school looked into Nassar's behavior in 2014 and found it "troubling," and that it exposed patients to "trauma," and yet allowed him to continue working.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced earlier this year that the university would be investigated in a bid to uncover "who knew what and when, who took action, who failed to take action."
MSU says there will be no confidentiality agreements or nondisclosure agreements attached to the settlement.
Former Illinois substitute teacher faces more
child sex abuse charges
By KATIE SMITHE
A former Community Unit School District 300 substitute teacher faces new child sexual abuse charges in addition to those that led to his arrest last year (3rd story on link).
Prosecutors filed charges on four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child younger than 13 against 62-year-old Carlos Bedoya last week in Kane County, records show.
Bedoya, of Lake in the Hills, first was arrested in July after allegations that he had sexual contact with a child younger than 13 between August 2016 and May 2017.
He was charged again in December and January in two separate cases accusing him of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child, attempted predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and attempted aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child.
District 300 public relations director Anthony McGinn said in a statement Wednesday that school officials are aware of the police investigation into Bedoya's conduct.
It was not clear Wednesday whether any of the alleged victims were students.
Bedoya is due in court June 1.
Head of N Carolina Montessori school faces
charges connected to sexual abuse of student
By: CBS 17 staff
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) - The head of a Raleigh Montessori school faces charges connected to a middle school teacher who is accused of sex crimes with a student, court documents say.
Nancy Beth Errichetti, 55, of Raleigh was indicted on charges of aiding and abetting taking indecent liberties with a child and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Errichetti is head of the Montessori School of Raleigh, according to the school’s website.
Nicholas Conlon Smith, 36, worked as a middle school teacher at the Montessori school when investigators said he raped a student.
Smith faces several charges of sexual exploitation of a minor in connection with incidents that police said occurred in 2011 and 2012.
Court documents say Errichetti knowingly put the victim in a position where they could be abused.
She is being held under a $25,000 bond.
Former Alabama children’s minister rearrested on new child sex charge
A former children’s minister facing with three counts of sexual abuse of a child was recently rearrested on a new charge of sexual abuse.
William Wesley Williamson, 38, was arrested May 9 and charged with one count of sex abuse of a child less than 12-years old.
The first three incidents occurred at a summer camp last year, Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza said. The new charge was filed by an additional victim. Sheriff’s Department Maj. Bill Rafferty said the investigation has determined the alleged crime occurred between August and September 2017.
Williamson formerly served as the pastor to children at Mount Gilead Baptist Church on Brannon Stand Road.
Sexual abuse of a child less than 12 is a Class B felony, punishable by between two and 20 years in prison and a fine up to $30,000.
Williamson’s attorney Thomas Smith told the Dothan Eagle in an earlier interview that, from his understanding, information listed on the warrant states Williamson brushed his hand against the clothing in the genital area of the victims, but no specific sex act is alleged.
A preliminary hearing for Williamson’s first three charges is scheduled for June 1. The preliminary hearing will determine if there is enough evidence to send Williamson’s case to a grand jury or if the charges will be dropped.
Another House of Horrors revealed
- This one in Oklahoma
A married couple was arrested after police in Del City, Oklahoma, found an autistic child with a broken front tooth padlocked in a room that was strewn with dog feces and urine, okcfox.com reported.
34-year-old Brandy Mcgrath, and her husband, 34-year-old Kenneth Garris, were arrested May 9 after authorities responded to a domestic disturbance in the 3200 block of Neighbors Lane.
While reporting to the scene, authorities made contact with the couple, though Garris reportedly fled the scene upon their arrival but was later found and taken into custody.
Also residing at the home was Steven Hildebrant, the father of two of the children, who police say was wanted for not registering as a sex offender. He reportedly fled the scene before police arrived.
A subsequent investigation revealed three children who are thought to have also resided in the home; a 12-year old boy with autism, an 11-year-old boy, and 6-year-old girl.
Authorities found themselves in a seemingly “house of horrors,” when they came upon an autistic 12-year-old boy in the care of Garris and McGrath.
The boy was reportedly found sleeping while locked inside of a padlocked room that was covered in dog feces and urine.
In addition to the gruesome discovery, authorities said the boy was under video surveillance in the home to allegedly monitor him.
Garris and McGrath portrayed a seemingly healthy family life online
According to Oklahoma’s News 4, one child living in the home apparently tried helping the boy by letting him out of the locked room, but eventually she returned him to the room, fearing she too would be locked up.
Official documents say that in addition to the padlock found on the autistic boy’s room, all three children also had locks on their doors. Their windows were also allegedly screwed shut in another apparent attempt to keep them inside when they deemed it as necessary.
Though the boy’s room was connected to a bathroom, that door was not accessible as it was dead-bolted shut, according to police.
Police say McGrath admitted to locking the child in the room from 7 p.m.until 8 a.m. so that he wouldn’t be able to escape. Additionally, another child at the home allegedly told a Department of Human Services worker that the boy was indeed locked up for extended periods of time.
In yet another disturbing detail involving the case, authorities said they observed that the autistic boy had a broken front tooth. The boy reportedly said the broken tooth was due to Garris punching him in the mouth.
Steven Hildebrant is an unregistered sex offender, police say.
Police say Hildebrant, the father of two children in the home, was wanted for being an unregistered sex offender, adding that he fled the scene before their arrival.
The man is also wanted for changing his address without notifying officials, as well as being a sex offender residing within 2000 feet of a school, according to authorities.
What about having custody of his children? Was he somehow permitted to have custody of his children as a child sex offender?
Garris’ and McGrath’s social media accounts depict a seemingly normal home life with no indication of abuse.
However, recent Facebook posts by Garris appear to reveal tension in his life: “Don’t know people can’t just let me live my life and be happy instead of always trying to tear me down,” Garris wrote May 8, the day before his arrest. “I have made my mind up that I’m not going to deal with it and if your one of those people i am going to cut you out of my life permanently and if you don’t like it you can go screw yourself.”
While authorities investigated the scene of the alleged abuse, they discovered 60 grams of marijuana.
Garris faces charges including child abuse, child neglect, domestic assault and battery in the presence of a minor, and possession of marijuana, Fox 25 reported.
McGrath is facing charges including enabling child abuse, child neglect and possession of marijuana.
Arizona father says couple arrested on child sex charges abused his kids too
By Carissa Planalp
SEDONA, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -
Marisa Claire and Matthew Dunlap were arrested last week in Phoenix for allegedly abusing a 7-year-old girl.
A heartbroken father tells AZ Family he is that victim’s uncle and he believes the Claire and Dunlap had molested his two daughters. He says he went to high school with the couple and that the two families had grown close over recent years.
“I’ll take your kids for a day so you can have peace, you take ours, just normal like parent family stuff,” says the father.
He learned something was wrong, he says, when his two young daughters revealed the couple had touched them and showed them videos of the couple involved in sex acts with other children.
“My daughter had informed me that there’s a tablet that he had kept videos on and the file had a stop sign representing where they were kept,” says the father. “My oldest daughter told me he showed her the videos I guess basically telling her like ‘oh she did it, it’s ok for you.’”
Sedona police confirm the father who spoke with AZ Family came to them in February to report the allegations of abuse. Lt. Stephanie Foley says the agency is reviewing new evidence resulting from a search warrant.
The father says he wants justice for his daughters. “My biggest thing is for them to know that their voices are important and that they were heard and what they said matters,” says the father.
Yes! Be a voice for your children; they don't have one if you don't speak up.
He says his daughters are handling the situation surprisingly well, but he suffers feelings of guilt and anger at the friends who betrayed his family. Despite that, this father says he must forgive the suspects.
“I would tell them that I’m sorry they had those demons in them,” says the father. “I have to forgive them for my sake because I can’t take their stuff, that’s theirs, and they’re going to have to live their hell now.”
Sedona police are encouraging anyone with information related to this case, to please call 928-203-5019.
School bus driver accused of sexually assaulting two 4 y/o girls; police seek other victims
BY TRIBUNE MEDIA WIRE
GLENDALE, Calif. – A Southern California school bus driver has been arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting a child and investigators believe there are other victims, police announced Wednesday.
Denis Alcazar, 34, of Los Angeles was arrested on May 2 on suspicion of false imprisonment and substantial sexual conduct with a child under 14, police said.
Glendale police began an investigation on Oct. 5, 2017, when they received a report about "inappropriate contact" between the alleged victim, who is a 4-year-old with special needs, and her school bus driver. The girl lives in Glendale, a city roughly 10 miles north of downtown Los Angeles.
The investigation led to another alleged victim in the city of Bell Gardens, some 20 miles south of Los Angeles. In that incident from five years ago, Alcazar allegedly sexually molested his girlfriend's daughter while he babysat her, police said. The daughter was also 4 years old at the time.
Alcazar pleaded not guilty on May 3 to one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under age 14 and one count of false imprisonment by violence, according to a spokesman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Police said the false imprisonment count is for the Glendale girl, while the other count is for the Bell Gardens child.
In a news release, police said they discovered "other victims from Los Angeles and Bell Gardens" but they did not elaborate on those cases. An email from Glendale police described Alcazar as a "man who allegedly sexually assaulted a child."
A Glendale Police Department sergeant told KTLA he suspects Alcazar of attacking other children.
“I personally don't believe that this is going to be the first time this individual’s done this," Sgt. Dan Suttles said. "If he did it five years ago, and now he’s doing it again, there’s a long span in between. I fear that he’s out there victimizing other children.”
Alcazar was employed by the First Student Bus Co. at the time of the incident with the 4-year-old in Glendale, and he most recently worked for Brooks Transportation, police said. Both companies contract with school districts across Los Angeles County.
First Student Bus Co. has removed Alcazar from service and he is no longer with the company, which is cooperating with police and Glendale Unified School District, according to company spokesman Chris Kemper. A spokesperson for Brooks Transportation declined to comment.
Alcazar remains in custody at Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, and his bail was set at $400,000, inmate records indicate. He is scheduled to appear in court in Pasadena on June 15 for a preliminary setting hearing.
US jury finds Oregon man guilty of
abusing Cambodian orphans
By GILLIAN FLACCUS | Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. – A U.S. jury found a Christian missionary from Coos Bay, Oregon guilty Wednesday of multiple sex abuse charges for molesting children living at an unlicensed Cambodian orphanage that he operated in Phnom Penh over a period of years.
Daniel Stephen Johnson, 40, was convicted of six counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and one count each of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and aggravated sexual assault with children. He faces a minimum of 30 years in prison when sentenced in August in Eugene, Oregon.
U.S. authorities said nine Cambodian children ranging in age from 7 to 18 have disclosed Johnson's abuse or past abuse in lengthy interviews with trained child-forensic interviewers. The FBI launched an extensive investigation of Johnson and his potential victims after learning of the case in 2013, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Portland said.
"The despicable nature of this defendant's conduct is beyond understanding," said Billy Williams, U.S. attorney for the District of Oregon. "The fact that this defendant abused children under the guise of being a missionary and orphanage director is appalling."
Johnson first molested a child at the orphanage during a trip in 2005, according to court documents.
Local law enforcement issued a warrant for Johnson's arrest in an unrelated matter in 2013 in Lincoln County, Oregon. Johnson was located overseas and his passport as revoked based on the Oregon warrant. It wasn't immediately clear what the local case involved and a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office didn't return a request for details.
The FBI then partnered with a non-profit that combats child exploitation in Cambodia and the Cambodian National Police to locate Johnson in Phnom Penh.
He was arrested in 2013 by Cambodian authorities and indicted the following year in the U.S. on one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.
Johnson was extradited to the U.S. after completing a one-year prison sentence in Cambodia as U.S. authorities sought to build their case.
Seven more charges were added in 2017.
While in custody, Johnson tried to tamper with witnesses and contact his victims online, bribing them with gifts and promises of money to change their testimony, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.
More details on the case were not immediately available and many court documents in the case are filed under seal.
Washington State man charged with sexually abusing 4 children in his care for 13 years
By Jefferson Robbins
WENATCHEE — Theron Heideman sits at the center of a complex criminal case.
The 51-year-old Peshastin man has been jailed in Chelan County since March 2017, charged with 11 counts of child sexual abuse involving four victims. The case involves so many victims, child welfare reports and interviews, that on Wednesday Judge Robert McSeveney stayed a trial that was set to begin next month.
Heideman has pleaded not guilty to charges that he abused four Wenatchee children in his care between roughly 2001 and 2014. He’s jailed on $1 million bond.
It’s not his first time under suspicion. From 1999 to 2009, Heideman was accused multiple times of sexual and physical abuse carried out against three of his own children. He was never charged, and in 2011 those children, now adults, sued the state Department of Social and Health Services, claiming the agency failed to properly investigate their claims. Last week, DSHS settled that case, awarding $2.5 million to Heideman’s alleged victims.
And how did Heideman get custody of 4 more children after his own children accused him of sexual abuse? DSHS needs to be investigated over this and someone may need to be held accountable.
The new criminal case involves four different children. Deputy prosecutor Nicole Hankins and defense attorney Jeffrey Barker both agreed Wednesday to continue the trial, saying they had more interviews and hundreds more pages of police and DSHS documents to review.
Judge McSeveney said he’ll assign a trial date later on. Heideman’s trial in Chelan County Superior Court is expected to take at least two weeks.
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