She says that he touched her inappropriately on several occasions and then twice forcibly sexually assaulted her. According to her story, she says the incidents occurred in May 2011.
]]> The woman said that one day she was alone in a car with her co-worker when he sexually assaulted her. She neither reported the incident to her employer or to the authorities after the incident. Instead, the next day she met her co-worker and was alone with him in her car once again, where she says she was sexually assaulted a second time. Again, she did not immediately report the incident.She only recently filed a lawsuit against her employer for the sexual assault seeking $1.5 million.
The 38-year-old accused man vehemently denies the accusations as fabrications. He says that they are "completely false and outrageous." He believes that the claim for $1.5 million is nothing short of extortion for something that never happened. He is hoping for a full exoneration, and is pleading that people will not make a judgment until the investigation is completed. He says he is willing to fully cooperate with the investigation. However, he has been removed from his job for the time being.
This story is exactly the type of sexual assault case that boils down to a "he said, she said" scenario. Investigators will have to uncover some kind of corroborating evidence to see if there is any basis whatsoever that criminal charges would be appropriate under these circumstances.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle, "Alameda probation chief accused of sexual abuse," Demian Bulwa, Feb. 15, 2012
]]>This means that those facing charges of rape or sexual assault in Pennsylvania should take heed. These charges can often be defended against, especially when there is no evidence other than the testimony of one other person. In such a case, those charges simply boil down to one person's story. This is often not enough to win a criminal conviction which requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
]]> If there is a delay in making sexual assault or rape accusations, that delay also tends to work in the favor of the one who stands accused. This is because, if a rape actually occurred, one would think that it should be reported right away, while a delay makes the story generally seem that much less believable.Another potential way to defend against sex crime accusations are to prove that there was a reasonable basis for consent. If alcohol was involved, and one or both parties had too much to drink, making it difficult to consent to sex, this will be a factor to take into account. Alcohol tends to raise even more questions, making it even harder to prove a rape case. Questions that will be raised and must be addressed include:
•· How much alcohol did the parties drink?
•· Were they both drinking excessively?
•· Were the parties drunk?
•· Did they consent?
•· Did the accused know there was no consent?
•· Should the accused have known?
When sexual assault or rape allegations are made, prosecutors will search for any kind of corroborating evidence that can potentially implicate the one who stands accused. Such evidence may involve telephone records, a rape kit, receipts, interviews with eyewitnesses or surveillance video.
The absence of any of this type of evidence would present a challenge for prosecutors, making it very likely that the sex crime charges would be dropped, or that a jury would find the accused not guilty.
Source: Metro, "Greg Kelly: Rape allegations 'tough' to investigate, say experts," Alison Bowen, Feb. 8, 2012
]]>According to reports, a local Pittsburgh man was indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of violating federal firearms laws. Sources say that the man was previously found guilty for a sex crime of violence and subsequently, he illegally possessed body armor on Jan. 11. The man was formerly charged by local authorities for sexual assaults dating back to early January.
]]> This story is a great example of how one's rights are limited if convicted of a sex crime. Due to his previous conviction, the man was restricted in his right to carry weapons under federal firearms laws. Therefore, if he is found guilty of the federal charge, the suspect could face up to three years in prison, a hefty fine of $250,000 or both.This story demonstrates how sex crime convictions carry severe consequences. If you are found guilty of a crime, you are not given the same privileges as others in your community. Also, a guilty verdict can lead to permanent registration as a sex offender. For this reason, if you are facing such allegations, it is imperative that you speak with a knowledgeable attorney. A lawyer can help you navigate through the complexities of the criminal justice system.
Source: Beaver County Times, "Man charged with sexual assaults facing federal charge," Kristen Doerschner, Feb. 7, 2012
]]>The boy's mother was furious, and she turned to online forums to learn how she could resolve the situation. Once the woman hired a lawyer, the school became more willing to meet the mother's demands. In the end, the boy was transferred to a new school, and his record was expunged.
]]> However, when the boy's mother was investigating how she could help her son, she learned there was a multitude of other parents in Pittsburgh and throughout the country whose children were facing similar situations.Several parents reported that their children had faced similar situations. One parent even reported that her son student was suspended for "hugging." Another parent was furious after her 7-year-old faced sexual harassment charges for kicking another boy his age in the groin during a fight.
Sadly, many principals and school administrators feel as though there is no option but to respond aggressively in support of anti-bullying campaigns. Although the campaigns are adopted with good intention, "the policies being adopted set forth pretty strong rules regarding categories of behavior. This means there's less room, and more risk, for principals who would make sensible accommodations based on student age and circumstances in question."
Source: The New York Times, "A Touch During Recess, and Reaction Is Swift," Scott James, Jan. 26, 2012
]]>In addition to asking questions, children also want to learn things on their own. Kids play doctor, school and house as they learn about different roles in society. According to one board-certified child psychiatrist, curiosity among children is normal. He added that "it is quite common, normal even, for young children to touch each other's genital areas. It's curiosity. It's not sexual in the adult sense."
However, in our age of heightened awareness to sex crimes, it's not surprising that many children who play doctor and house face negative consequences from their parents or teachers. But in one of the most over-reacting responses yet, one boy was suspended for sexual assault after a game of tag.
]]> A group of first-grade boys were playing tag during recess. During the game, one boy allegedly touched another boy's upper thigh or groin. There were no witnesses to the alleged assault, and it's unclear whether anyone even complained. However, the principal promptly suspended the 6-year-old and reported the "sexual assault."Naturally, the boy's mother was furious. She started working with a lawyer and threatened to sue the school district. She wanted her son transferred to another school, she demanded that his record expunged, and she wanted the principal to be punished.
It's unclear whether the principal was punished, but her other demands were met. The boy is still adjusting to his new school, and his mother reported that her son doesn't even fully understand why he was in trouble.
Source: The New York Times, "A Touch During Recess, and Reaction Is Swift," Scott James, Jan. 26, 2012
]]>Unfortunately, that can lead to trouble. One teacher is facing a multitude of sex charges after having a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student.
]]> It's unclear how school authorities learned about the relationship, but when they did, they called the police. The police determined that the student and teacher had been in a sexual relationship since early January and that the activities had taken place multiple times at various locations.Their relationship lasted about a month, but the teacher is facing hefty charges. He was charged with three counts of sexual abuse by a person of trust, four counts of unlawful sexual contact, two counts of dealing in child pornography and two counts of obscenity. He is being held on $80,000 cash bail.
Given the account of the exchanges between the student and the teacher, some of the charges seem questionable. According to police, the relationship started when the two sent text messages to each other during school. The texts led to meeting outside of school, where the sexual relationship began.
Although a newspaper article mentioned that the teacher sent photos of himself to the student, it said nothing about her sending him photos. However, one can't help but wonder whether that happened, since he is facing charges for child pornography. If she sent him nude or suggestive pictures of her own volition, are child pornography charges appropriate?
Given the deluge of charges the teacher is facing -- especially considering the reasonably short duration of their relationship -- the man's rights could be well-protected by an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Source: Delmarva Now, "Teacher arrested in sex scandal," John Bleiweis, Feb. 1, 2012
]]>Now, it seems as though anyone who has access to a computer can face charges for online solicitation of minors. Many people find themselves under investigation or facing criminal charges after little more than a few mouse clicks and typing a sentence or two in a chat room or online forum.
Because of a situation like that, a man who uses the screen name K-Lee is facing felony charges.
]]> Investigators suspected that K-Lee may be soliciting minors online, so one officer created an online persona. The man claimed he was a 12-year-old girl and initiated conversations with K-Lee.K-Lee said he was interested in meeting the girl, and he described sexual acts he wanted to perform on her. The two set up a meeting time, and K-Lee said he would be driving a white van.
When he arrived at their meeting place, investigators approached K-Lee's van and introduced themselves. K-Lee immediately drove away with police following closely behind. Police eventually used spike strips to stop the van, and K-Lee was arrested.
K-Lee was charged with use of electronic means to entice or allure a minor to conduct a sexual act and attempt to elude police -- both of which are felonies. K-Lee is being held in jail without bond.
Source: WFMY News 2, "Kary Lee Taylor, Jr., 40, Arrested For Online Sex Solicitation Of Child In Henry County, VA," Teresa Ostuni, Jan. 25, 2012
]]>Although those people may seem outwardly resistant to changing their behavior, they often know that change is necessary. That may be why one man who is addicted to child porn thanked police when he was arrested on Thursday.
]]> The man was charged with indecent solicitation and traveling to meet a minor.Many people have unusual fetishes, and the internet can be a good place to satisfy those cravings. However, when postings solicit sex with minors and "women who want to be raped," it becomes less of a kinky fetish and more of an illegal behavior.
According to prosecutors, the man had posted more than 115 messages to Craigslist, looking for those things, among other unusual sex requests. He was caught in an undercover sex sting when he traveled across the city to have sex with two young girls. The girls were the nonexistent daughter and cousin of an undercover officer.
When he arrived to have sex with the girls, he was arrested. After his arrest, the man admitted that he was addicted to child porn and thanked officers for arresting him.
In some situations, an individual who completes rehabilitation may be able to have his or her sentence lowered or dropped. Hopefully this man is working with an experienced criminal defense attorney who can help him not only keep his record clean but also find the help he needs to move on with his life in a productive manner.
Source: CBS Chicago, "Man 'Addicted To Child Porn' Thanks Cops For Arrest," Jan. 27, 2012
]]>It's unclear why one woman lied about being sexually assaulted by her baby's father. However, the woman is now facing misdemeanor charges for obstructing justice and making false allegations.
]]> The woman, Melissa, told police that she met Jeremy in a Culver's parking lot to exchange their young child. Melissa claimed that when she was reaching into Jeremy's SUV, he grabbed her and put his hands down her pants.In Melissa's version of the story, the two met at Culver's again later to exchange their child. Melissa claimed that Jeremy was already there when she arrived, and he asked her to look in the back of his SUV to see a Christmas present he had purchased. She claimed that when she looked in the back of the SUV, he forced her inside and closed the door. She also said that Jeremy repeatedly put his hands down her pants and touched her genitals.
Although Jeremy denied the allegations, he was arrested.
Jeremy again told police that the allegations were false. He said nothing happened at Culver's. However, when he drove away, she followed him to theater, and they had consensual sex in his vehicle.
Melissa claimed that Jeremy was making up stories to avoid the charges. However, surveillance videos showed Melissa's vehicle following Jeremy's vehicle into the parking lot and to a secluded area. Both vehicles remained there for a period of time before leaving at the same time.
When Melissa was made aware of the surveillance video, she admitted that she had lied to police, and she confirmed that she had consensual sex with Jeremy.
Source: PortWashington-SaukvillePatch, "Woman Faces Charges for False Sex Assault Accusations," Lyssa Beyer, Jan. 23, 2012
]]>When the police were searching the man's home, they also found a homemade video of a partially naked 12-year-old girl. The video is three years old and shows part of a man posing the girl for the video. David admitted that he is the man in the video, but there have not been any reports of more recent videos.
The man is also facing scrutiny for an unusual collection.
]]> When police were searching the man's home, they found several pairs of underwear designed for girls between the ages of six and eight. Some of the underwear had been used; some underwear had been purchased new.David reported that the underwear was not from any of his family members; he found it left behind in bathrooms, pools and changing rooms. Although hoarding the underwear of young girls is unusual, it is not illegal.
David had been in the school system for 12 years, and he was popular among the students and teachers. He recently passed a background check, and there was nothing in his record that would lead anyone to believe he would commit sex crimes.
One person stated that his clean-cut face matches his personality. Another woman described him as innocent and said, "He's the kind of person you're attracted to, the kind of person you trust."
There has not been any evidence to suggest David abused or exploited the students he taught, and none of the allegations from the police report recent searches for child pornography.
Is it possible that David was interested in child porn several years ago but worked to overcome the temptation? Was he successful at distancing himself from child pornography after 2010?
David is currently on paid administrative leave from the school, and he is being held on $10,000 bail.
Source: CBS Boston, "Newton 2nd Grade Teacher Arrested For Child Pornography," Jan. 17, 2012
]]>In reality, there are many good people in Pittsburgh who make mistakes and face criminal charges for those mistakes. Sometimes, a person will become addicted to a negative behavior, but he or she will work to change those habits alone.
After learning about a second-grade teacher who was arrested on child pornography charges, one can't help but wonder if that's what happened.
]]> The 34-year-old teacher, David, was arrested and is facing charges for child pornography and sexual assault. However, the details of several news stories suggest that much of the alleged activity happened a few years ago.When police searched the man's home, they found a video of a 12-year-old girl who is partially naked. The video shows part of a man who is posing the girl. David acknowledged that he is the man in the video, though he said the girl was not one of his students. Finally, the video is three years old, and police did not report finding other more recent tapes.
Police also reported finding hundreds of pictures of young girls, though only some of the children in the pictures were naked. The police reports stated that David logged into a forum for child pornography about 20 times in 2010. Again, although the charges are serious, the police did not report any more recent activity.
Read our next post to learn the remainder of the details in the man's arrest. What other unusual evidence is being used against the man?
Source: CBS Boston, "Newton 2nd Grade Teacher Arrested For Child Pornography," Jan. 17, 2012
]]>For example, if a man in Pittsburgh was interested in having sex with or buying a younger woman a drink, it would be the man's responsibility to make sure the woman was of age. One man was recently arrested and is facing 15 years in jail for soliciting a minor.
]]> A 58-year-old man knew a 15-year-old and her mother because he had done maintenance work at their old residence. It is unclear why the man had the teen's phone number and whether they had communicated before. However, when he sent her a text asking if she was interested in sex, she told her mom, who promptly called the police.One evening, the man sent a text at about 11, but because the teen was already sleeping, she did not see it until the following morning. The text said, "Would u ever consider getting intimate with me if u were 2 be paid $500 4 one nt?" Later in the text, the man also tried to clarify that the teen was not a minor by saying, "I had 2 b sure that u aren't a minor or this would never b happening." He also added that he knew it was wrong to offer her money in exchange for sex.
The police talked with the teen and used her cellphone to send the man more text messages. When they confirmed that he was asking for sex, they arrested him at his apartment. During the arrest, they also found a glass pipe and crack cocaine in his possession.
The man was charged with one count of asking a teenager for sex in exchange for money and one count of possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree. If he is convicted of both charges, the man could spend 15 years in jail and be fined up to $30,000.
Source: CBS Minnesota WCCO, "Charges: Man Texted Girl, 15, To Hire Her For Sex," Jan. 13, 2012
]]>The nonprofit organization that is the driving force between the proposed legislation argues that every child in the entertainment industry has brushed shoulders with pedophiles -- and they want to change that.
To combat the problem of sex crimes against children, the organization is backing legislation that would require background checks of entertainment professionals who work primarily with children.
]]> Individuals who work with children would be required to pay for and submit to screening to determine whether they are registered sex offenders. If they are registered sex offenders, they would be prohibited from providing services to children or representing them as publicists or managers.One individual in the nonprofit said, "It needs to be a crime for a convicted sex offender to work with children in an employment setting. We need background checks and fingerprints on the people that work with our kids."
Although it is important to protect children, it is also important to give convicted sex offenders the ability and opportunity to rehabilitate in their communities. Meaningful professional employment is a large part of that.
Another individual from the nonprofit summarized the situation well when he stated, "The entertainment industry is NOT like child care, teachers, recreation leaders, church youth pastors or any other group that works with children." Those individuals are required to have background checks. However, they also provide care to children. Many people in the entertainment industry -- photographers and web designers, for example -- provide services for children, and their primary responsibility is not the well-being of the children.
It makes sense for parents to question whether a teacher can be trusted to protect a child's best interest if the teacher has been accused of child molestation in the past. However, the abilities of photographers or web designers are determined by their technical abilities, and they should be allowed to pursue those careers accordingly.
Source: Fox News, "Anti-Predator Bill Requires Entertainment Pros Who Work With Kids to Be Background Checked," Hollie McKay, Jan. 9, 2011
]]>Today, after more than 80 years, the definition of rape was redefined by the FBI. Under the previous definition of rape, only women could be victims, only vaginal or anal sex constituted rape, and the woman must have physically resisted her attacker.
]]> The new definition is much broader and encompassing, and it could be bad news for the man we wrote about earlier this week. Under the new definition, rape is "the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object," without the consent of the victim. The definition now also includes "oral penetration by a sex organ of another person."The broad new definition of rape will impact millions of people.
One of the biggest reasons the FBI changed the definition of rape was to more accurately gauge the number of people who are victims of rape. The FBI believes that the new definition will give them a more accurate idea of the number of people who suffer from rape, thereby allowing them to more effectively combat the problem.
However, as the attempt to combat the problem is expanded, more individuals may find themselves facing rape charges. Under the new definition, a victim may say she was unable to give consent because she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. While that is appropriate if she was drugged or too drunk to refuse sex, it could pose problems if sober people attempt to solve drunken mistakes by pressing rape charges.
After using the same definition of rape for more than 80 years, a revised definition was overdue. However, unsuspecting individuals who find themselves facing rape charges would be well-advised to work with an experienced criminal defense attorney to help ensure their rights are protected.
Source: Associated Press, "US redefines rape; adds men, others as victims," Pete Yost, Jan. 6, 2011
]]>Following a preliminary hearing, one Pennsylvania man is currently facing 27 counts of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and related offenses. The man's criminal defense attorney objected to the number of charges. Two teenage girls made accusations against the man, but together, they testified to 18 incidents of sex.
Although that is nine shy of the 27 charges, the judge insisted that all the charges would remain in place until trial. Given the details of the story, one can't help but question how many charges will stick when the case goes to trial.
]]> A 14-year-old girl met a 40-year-old man. On several occasions, the man bought alcohol for the teen, usually vodka or wine. According to the teen's story, after he had been buying her alcohol for a time, he started requesting sexual favors in exchange for the alcohol.The teen accepted his offer, and the two had oral sex. After each exchange, he paid her for the oral sex. She told police that she eventually "grew tired of exchanging sex for money," but the man forced her to continue.
After the 14-year-old told her story to the police, she also said that another teenage girl was involved. The second teen, a 17-year-old, told police that the two teens first stayed overnight at the man's house after Halloween.
According to the two teens' story, the man gave them alcohol and then ordered them into his bedroom. The teens told police that he threatened and fondled them, but when he tried to rape the 17-year-old, they pushed him away.
It will be interesting to see what happens when this case goes to court. Why were the two teens spending so much time with a man who was more than twice their age? How did the three meet, and whose idea was it for the 40-year-old man to buy alcohol for them? It will also be interesting to see whether the prosecutors press prostitution charges on the 14-year-old for exchanging oral sex for money.
Source: phillyBurbs, "Souderton man faces trial on rape charges," Matt Coughlin, Jan. 4, 2011
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