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Sexual assault
May 24, 2012
Warrant issued for San Marcos teacher accused of inappropriate conduct with a student
SAN MARCOS — A warrant has been issued for Steven De Leon, a San Marcos elementary school teacher and basketball coach accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student, according to the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office.
De Leon, 39, resigned from his position as a physical education teacher at Travis Elementary School on Tuesday amid allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a middle school student, according to a statement issued by the San Marcos school district.
De Leon has worked for the school district as an elementary school teacher for 16 years, district spokeswoman Iris Campbell said. He has taught at Travis since the 2002-03 school year, she said, and at DeZavala Elementary before that.
The parents of the middle school student told district officials Monday that they suspected De Leon of having a relationship with their child last summer, according to the school district. De Leon was suspended with pay that day and the district started an investigation involving local law enforcement agencies, according to the school district.
For earlier coverage, click here.
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May 23, 2012
San Marcos teacher under investigation for assault of a child
SAN MARCOS — A San Marcos elementary school teacher and basketball coach is under investigation for aggravated sexual assault of a child, Martindale Police Chief Harry Juergens said today.
Steven De Leon resigned from his position as a physical education teacher at Travis Elementary School on Tuesday amid allegations that he had an inappropriate relationship with a middle school student, according to a statement issued by the San Marcos school district.
The parents of the middle schooler told district officials Monday that they suspected De Leon of having a relationship with their child last summer, according to the statement.
De Leon was suspended with pay that day and the district started an investigation involving local law enforcement agencies, according to the statement.
Juergens said his department received the case about 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The alleged relationship between De Leon and the student didn’t occur on school property, according to the district.
Juergens said police have not arrested De Leon. The investigation is ongoing, he said.
Administrators recognized De Leon in 2009 for “services ‘above and beyond’ their duties to help community school children,” according to a news release the school issued.
“Mr. De Leon goes out of his way, in every way, to help the students of Travis Elementary: from tutoring for TAKS to coaching an afterschool basketball program - just to name a few,” Travis Elementary principal Niki Konecki is quoted saying in the news release. “He even rides his bicycle to school each day to model healthy lifestyle habits for the children. We are vey lucky to have such a dedicated individual at Travis Elementary.”
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May 18, 2012
Police seek clues to man's identity in December attack
A 19-year-old woman who was the victim of a brutal assault last year in a Del Valle home made an emotional plea Friday to catch the suspect in the case.
Listen to audio from the press conference this afternoon.
Police said that on Dec. 13 the woman was working as a door-to-door saleswoman. Pretending interest in her products, the man lured her into a vacant house in the Berdoll Farms neighborhood and attacked her, police said.
Today, police admitted tips in the case had run dry and released new details.
Officers described the suspect as white, perhaps Hispanic, in his mid-30s and about 5-feet, 10-inches tall with short reddish or blond hair. He had sideburns and stubble on his face. He had a thin build and a light complexion with a possible sunburn.
They said he may have worked in construction and may have worked on a nearby water main project at the time of the Dec. 13 attack. He was wearing a burnt orange T-shirt with light blue jeans, fairly new tan work boots and a dark blue ball cap and jacket, officers said.
“I will do anything in my power … to help catch this guy,” the woman said during a press conference at Austin police headquarters Friday. The American-Statesman is not naming the victim because of the nature of the crime.
The victim was “violently attacked, strangled and left unconscious in the vacant home,” police said. Her injuries were so severe, officers said they were surprised she survived.
Photos courtesy of the Austin Police Department
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May 14, 2012
Authorities seek two sexual assault suspects
FROM THE TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT:
On Tuesday, March 27, 2012, at 11:23pm, Travis County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the 2100 block of Margalene Way. The victim reported that two suspects entered her home and sexually assaulted her.
A forensic sketch artist met with the victim and provided a sketch of one of the suspects last week. He is described as a Hispanic man in his late 20’s to mid 30’s, 5’5” - 5’7” tall, with black hair, brown eyes, dark complexion and a “beer belly”.
The other suspect is described as a Black man, in his late 20’s to mid 30’s, 6’ or taller, thin and has a dark complexion.
Evidence shows that one of the suspects sexually assaulted the victim while the other rummaged through the residence.
Anyone with information concerning this case is asked to contact Detective Jim Anderson at 512-854-3237, or Crime Stoppers at 472-TIPS (472-8477).
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May 8, 2012
Buda man charged with second sexual assault
San Marcos police charged a Buda man today with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault after they say he offered to give a woman a ride and then attacked her.
James Robert Montoya, 38, was already being held at the Travis County Jail in connection with another aggravated kidnapping and sexual assault case involving a woman who was walking home from a downtown Austin bar last month.
On Friday, detectives learned that DNA evidence they had submitted from the February 2011 attack in San Marcos matched Montoya, pictured at right.
Officials said that Montoya offered a woman with car trouble a ride to a convenience store, but instead drove her under a highway bridge near the Blanco River and sexually assaulted her in the back of his car.
Montoya is being held in jail on $300,000 bail from the charges in Austin, officials said. San Marcos Police Commander Penny Dunn said she anticipates that amount will increase after he sees a judge on this new charge.
May 6, 2012
24-year-old man suspected of having sex with pre-teen girl
On a recent Saturday evening, an 11-year-old girl was reported missing after her mother told police that the girl had entered a black vehicle with an unknown man.
About one hour later on April 21, the girl returned home to her apartment near Burnet Road and Justin Lane and eventually told police a 24-year-old man had sex with her, according to court documents.
The man, 24-year-old Jose Godinez-Matute, is in Travis County Jail on Sunday afternoon, charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony.
After officers approached the girl and asked where she had been, she started crying and said she was with a man she met through a friend because “he wanted to do sex with me,” according to an arrest affidavit.
The girl said she had communicated with Godinez-Matute through Facebook and a cell phone that her mother said had been calling her phone for several days, the affidavit said.
The girl told police Godinez-Matute’s name was Antonio Pinto, that they had met about two months ago and that he drove them to various motels near the North Lamar Boulevard and Rundberg Lane area of North Austin to find a room to have sex in, the affidavit said.
He was denied at all of them and he eventually parked in the back of the Budget Lodge Motel on southbound Interstate 35, just past Rundberg Lane, and had sex with the girl, the affidavit said.
On Friday, police found Godinez-Matute while working at an apartment complex in North Austin, just off Wells Branch Parkway, and confirmed that Godinez-Matute had the same cell phone number that the girl’s mother’s phone had received calls from, the affidavit said.
In an interview with police, Godinez-Matute did not say he had sex with the girl, but did say he picked her up in his black car on April 21, according to the affidavit.
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April 11, 2012
Police: Two men sexually assaulted teen after getting her drunk
One man has been arrested after he and another man picked a 16-year-old Round Rock girl up from a gas station, then got her drunk and had sex with her, according to an arrest affidavit.
Luis Perez, 28, was arrested Monday after police say he admitted to giving alcohol to and having sex with the 16-year-old girl. According to the affidavit, Perez told police he didn’t see anything wrong with t, because the girl consented.
The girl told police that Perez and another unknown man picked her up Saturday from a gas station at the intersection of Gattis School Road and Red Bud Lane in Round Rock, the affidavit said. She told police they took her back to an apartment on Martin Avenue and began to drink “a number of alcoholic beverages,” the affidavit said. The girl told police that she then had sex with both men, the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, Perez told police that he knew the girl was a minor and that he shouldn’t have given her alcohol or had sex with her, but that he felt it was okay, because she had told him she wanted to drink and have sex.
Perez is in the Williamson County Jail. He is charged with sexual assault of a child, a felony, and his bond is set at $20,000. Police are still searching for the other suspect.
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March 22, 2012
Authorities still searching for sexual assault suspect
Update: Hays County authorities are still searching for a man officials say sexually assaulted a 17-year-old before trying to kill her last week.
The man lured the girl into his car, described as a white SUV, at an Austin Capital Metro bus stop the morning of March 15 and drove her to an isolated area in Dripping Springs where he sexually assaulted her, Sgt. Jeri Skrocki said.
Skrocki said investigators believe the man realized the girl might be able to identify him and so stabbed her repeatedly, leaving her for dead. Stripped of her clothing, the girl stumbled toward the sound of traffic and tried to flag down help.
A passing driving saw her and called the sheriff’s office, Skrocki said.
“This woman had been brutalized,” Skrocki said.
The girl was taken in critical condition to University Medical Center Brackenridge for treatment and has since been released from the hospital, Skrocki said.
Skrocki said the girl is a student but wouldn’t say where or where she lived. Officials originally said the girl was a hitchhiker but no longer believe that to be the case.
No similar incidents have been reported, she said.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to email cid@co.hays.tx.us, or call 512-393-7814 during the day or 512-393-7896 after hours.
Hays County Crime Stoppers is also offering a $1,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the suspect. Anyone with information can call 1-800-324-8477.
Earlier: Hays County authorities are still searching for a man who sexually assaulted a 17-year-old girl last week after luring her into his car in Austin.
The girl was found with stab wounds on the road last Thursday in Dripping Springs by a passing driver, who alerted the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.
The suspect was described as black; 5 feet, 8 inches to 6 feet, 1-inch tall; in his early 40s with a medium to heavy build, according to the sheriff’s office. He had no facial hair and some hair on his head, with a tattoo on his left arm.
The teen, whose identity is not being released, initially told investigators that she had been hitchhiking before she was attacked.
A further investigation shows the girl had been at a bus stop at 51st Street and Manor Road in Austin about 9:45 a.m. when she was lured into the suspect’s white vehicle, the sheriff’s office said today. The teen was found about two hours later at U.S. 290 near County Road 165 west of Dripping Springs near the Burnet County line, officials said.
The Hays County Crime Stoppers ask anyone with information about the crime to call 1-800-324-8477. Information that leads to the arrest and indictment of the man qualifies for a $1,000 reward.
March 18, 2012
Man charged with sexual assault of girl
A man is in custody after police say he sexually assaulted a girl under 10 years of age Friday morning in his Southeast Austin home.
According to an arrest affidavit, the man, Edgardo Velasquez, raped the girl after her mother dropped her off at his near South Pleasant Valley Road and East Oltorf Street for him to babysit while the mother worked for a few hours.
When the mother picked up her daughter, she noticed the girl had her shorts on backwards and “was walking in an odd manner,” the affidavit said. The girl told her mother that Velasquez, 39, did the same thing to her Friday that he did to her two years ago, rape her, the affidavit said.
The affidavit did not specifying whether or not the girl had told her mother about a past attack, nor did it say how the mother and daughter know Velasquez.
Velasquez remains in Travis County Jail on Sunday on $200,000 bail on a first-degree felony charge for aggravated sexual assault of a child.
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March 16, 2012
Houston man sentenced for molesting a Kyle child
A Hays County jury last week sentenced Houston resident Tony Martinez, 36, to 99 years in prison on each of 11 counts for molesting a child when he lived in Kyle.
Martinez molested the child during a five-year period starting in 1996, Hays County officials said.
While Martinez is eligible for parole after serving 30 years in prison, District Judge Jack Robinson ordered that he serve some of his sentences consecutively so that he will not be released, officials said.
March 15, 2012
Hays County authorities investigating possible sexual assault, stabbing
SAN MARCOS — The Hays County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a reported sexual assault.
A woman told authorities she was hitchhiking earlier today, was attacked and was dropped off in Dripping Springs after her assailant stabbed her, officials said.
Sgt. Phillip Taylor said the woman was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge in Austin with minor stab wounds to her chest a couple of hours ago. The woman was in shock but is in stable condition, he said.
Further details about the attack were not immediately available. No similar assaults have been reported, he said.
February 3, 2012
Williamson officers searching for sexual assault suspect
The Williamson County sheriff’s office is investigating reports that a woman was sexually assaulted in the Vista Oaks subdivision.
The incident happened at 5 p.m. Thursday in the Vista Oaks greenbelt at the end of Vista Isle Drive, according to the sheriff’s office. The subdivision is near Round Rock, off FM 1431 near Sam Bass Road.
Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 943-1300.
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February 2, 2012
Man gets 20 years for aggrevated sex assault of 13-year-old
FROM THE LLANO COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE:
25 year old Christian Uskanga-Torres was sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Llano jury on Wednesday, February 1, 2012. Trial began Monday after Torres pled “not guilty” before a 6 woman 6 man jury. The defendant was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child committed against a 13 year old girl.
The State of Texas was represented by Assistant District Attorney Stacy Street and Mr. Torres was represented by Nina Willis. The offense was investigated by the Llano County Sheriff’s Office, with Laurie Brock as the lead investigator.
Testimony revealed that the victim’s family welcomed Torres into their home when he and his spouse, the victim’s oldest sibling, were in financial hardship. The defense attempted to attack the credibility of the victim by emphasizing the lack of DNA evidence. But the jury, having an opportunity to evaluate her testimony first-hand, listened to the outcry of a child and sent a message of deterrence to all potential sexual predators.
“Sexual abuse of a child is the type of crime nobody wants to believe exists anywhere, much less in their own community. However, our society is faced with the undeniable truth, that these predators do exist, and they are preying upon innocent children everywhere. It is reassuring to know that this jury was able to see past the defendant’s attempts to sway them from the truth and found the victim credible and trustworthy,” says Ms. Street.
It may appear that the sentence was light considering the jury had the option of sending Torres to prison for the rest of his life. However, Torres testified on his own behalf to deny the allegations, and in a case with conflicting testimony between the victim and the accused, juries often have a tougher time making a decision. Torres will be required to serve at least one half of his sentence before being considered for parole, but parole is not guaranteed. Upon release from prison Torres will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, wherever he lives.
“This was a tough case for Stacy and Michael Orbelo, who assisted her, but I am very pleased at their job in getting another sex offender out of our community,” stated District Attorney Sam Oatman, “we always hope this will send a message that Llano County jurors can make tough decisions in protecting our community.”
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January 5, 2012
Man charged with sexual assault of a child
Police have arrested a man who they said sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl at a Northeast Austin duplex in November.
Daniel Jefferson Thomas Jr., 25, has been charged with sexual assault of a child, a second-degree felony, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. His bail was set at $150,000.
The victim told investigators she went with Thomas and another man to the duplex after they approached her while she was walking on a street and asked if she wanted to “chill,” offering her a cigarette, the affidavit said. Thomas sexually assaulted her while the two were watching television in one of the bedrooms, the affidavit said.
The victim was able to push him off and called a family member to pick her up, according to court documents.
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December 9, 2011
Texas State police arrest sexual assault suspect
Texas State University police arrested Javier Arteta-Garcia on Thursday in the sexual assault of a woman on campus, according to the arrest affidavit.
The woman told police Thursday morning that Arteta-Garcia, a Texas State student with whom she was acquainted, had sexually assaulted her in a dorm room the night before.
Based on her report and collected evidence, investigators took the man into custody Thursday night, according to the university. He was booked into the Hays County Jail, officials said.
University police Capt. Daniel Benitez said no further information will be released while officers complete their investigation. He would not say whether the woman was also a Texas State student.
The case has been referred to the Hays County district attorney’s office.
This post was updated at 3:30 p.m. with additional information.
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December 6, 2011
San Marcos police searching for sexual assault suspect
SAN MARCOS — Police are searching for a man suspected of trying to sexually assault a Texas State student last night.
The 20-year-old woman was walking home through a vacant lot near North LBJ Drive and Ramsay Street after getting off a university bus when a white man grabbed her jacket and tried to pull her away from the road, a city spokesman said.
The man, described as an 6-foot tall 18-22 year old wearing a dark wool coat, jeans and a dark knitted cap, said he intended to sexually assault her, according to the city. He fled toward the Stonegate Apartments after a passing driver honked at them. The woman was uninjured.
The incident appears to be isolated, according to the city. No similar assaults have been reported to the police.
Police ask anyone with information to contact Sgt. Mike Wellman at 512-754-2210.
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December 2, 2011
Man charged in aggravated sexual assault of child
An Austin man has been charged in the aggravated sexual assault of a child, according to an arrest affidavit released Friday.
Tino Tobar Jr., 31, is facing the felony charge after police received a report of a 14-year-old victim complaining she had been sexually assaulted and beaten by Tobar, the affidavit said.
The teen went to her school counselor and complained of the assault, the affidavit said. She also complained Tobar choked her and punched her, the affidavit said.
Tobar was booked in Travis County Jail in July in connection with another charge and remained jailed Friday on $50,000 bail, jail records show.
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November 10, 2011
Teen reported abuse to Pflugerville police before suicide
ROUND ROCK — A Houston-area teen who killed herself after alleging sexual abuse on Twitter earlier this week had filed a report with Pflugerville police before moving at the end of the last school year, officials said.
“Yes we did take a report,” Asst. Chief Jim McLean said, but he could not provide information on when the report was filed or who it involved other than the teen. “When it comes to sexual assault and children, our hands are tied about what we can and can’t say.”
McLean said the case was still open.
Ashley Billasano, 18, tweeted 144 times within six hours Monday before killing herself by suffocation. In the tweets, Billasano alleged she had been sexually abused and said she had attempted suicide once before.
Billasano, who was a student at B.F. Terry High School in Rosenberg, attended the Harmony Science Academy in Pflugerville for three years before leaving the school at the end of the last school year. Billasano moved to the Houston area to live with her mom, Tiffany Ruiz-Leskinen.
Billasano’s father, John Billasano, lives in Round Rock, according to a background check.
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San Marcos man charged with child sex crimes
SAN MARCOS — Police have arrested a 74-year-old San Marcos man for sexual performance by a child and indecency with a child, both felony offenses.
Francis Hall has remained at the Hays County Law Enforcement Center with bail totaling $200,000 since he was taken into custody on Nov. 1, city officials said.
Police would not comment further on the crime because the investigation is ongoing.
Sexual performance by a child is a a first-degree felony, which carries a sentence of five year to live in prison and a fine up to $10,000. Indecency with a child is a second-degree felony, punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000.
Police ask anyone with information about additional victims to call detective Kathy Misiaszek at 512-753-2305 or Crime Stoppers at 800-324-8477.
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November 4, 2011
Marine charged in high school student sexual assault case
A Marine Corps recruiter has been charged in a sexual assault case involving a 16-year-old female student during a McCallum High School football game, according to an arrest affidavit.
Sgt. Timothy Lamont Craig, 26, has been charged with sexual assault of a child following a Sept. 22 McCallum High School football game at House Park, near Lamar Boulevard and Enfield Road, the affidavit said.
Craig was booked into Travis County jail on the felony charge just before 7 last night and is being held on $100,000 bail, jail records show.
The teen’s guardian reported the incident to police after overhearing the teen discussing the incident, the affidavit said. The teen and Craig had communicated by text messages weeks before the incident and met at the game in his government-issued vehicle before they engaged in sexual intercourse, the affidavit said.
The teen told police she began talking with Craig after she had talked with him about joining the Marines, the affidavit said.
Cell phone records obtained for Craig showed more than 400 text messages were exchanged with the teen during a three-month period starting in July, the affidavit said. There was also a record of at least a half-dozen phone calls between the two in September, the affidavit said.
On Oct. 12, the day after Craig learned of the allegations to police, he took his vehicle in for $50 detail vehicle cleaning in North Austin, the affidavit said.
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October 14, 2011
Police investigate pastor facing sexual assault allegations
Austin police are investigating an Elgin man after at least four women came forward with allegations that the man, described as a pastor, had sexual contact with them in the early 1990s, court documents show.
Francisco Antonio Hernandez, 53, of Elgin was booked into the Travis County Jail last night on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with child-sexual contact, jail records show.
Now, police are looking into concerns that Hernandez, described as a “traveling pastor” who was known as “Pastor Javier” to some, may have had contact with additional victims in the Austin area, said Detective Sabrina Nichols of the child abuse unit for for the Austin Police Department.
“He is not affiliated with any church we know of, but some knew him as Pastor or Pastor Javier or his actual name, and we would encourage any more victims to call police,” Nichols said.
Witnesses told police Hernandez traveled to various private residences in the Austin area to hold services for a nondenominational church that had no name, Nichols said. The church was led by Hernandez, and services entailed reading from the Bible and singing, Nichols said. Hernandez led services for the church as early as the early 1990s and as recently as August of this year, Nichols said. It wasn’t immediately clear how many members the church may have, she said.
Since an investigation into Hernandez was initiated in June, more victims have come forward, though Nichols declined to say how many. The victims ranged from 5 to 13 years of age, she said.
Hernandez, who is being held in lieu of $200,000 bail, is also facing a immigration detainer because of questions about his U.S. residency status, jail records show.
Austin police initiated the investigation after four women, including at least two sisters, came forward to report sexual abuse that occurred 20 years earlier, an arrest affidavit said. One victim, now 25, said Hernandez had made sexual contact with her when he was temporarily living in her home in the early 1990s, court documents said. Another victim said her parents traveled one weekend and left her and her sisters alone in the home with Hernandez, which is when one of the sexual abuse incidents was said to have occurred, court documents said.
In May, Hernandez visited the parents of one of the victims and “asked for forgiveness,” the documents said. He also asked the mother of one of the victims to not tell police, an arrest affidavit said.
Hernandez “told them he was feeling bad because he has been carrying this around with him for a long time and couldn’t bear it any longer,” an arrest affidavit said.
Since 2007, there is no statute of limitations on claims related to sexual assault, which has allowed the victims to pursue charges against Hernandez.
Anyone with information about Hernandez is asked to contact the Austin Police Department’s child abuse unit at 512-974-6880.
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October 8, 2011
Suspect arrested in Sixth Street sexual assault
A man suspected of sexually assaulting a woman near Sixth Street was arrested by police shortly after the incident early Friday morning, according to an arrest affidavit at the Travis County Courthouse.
Around 4 a.m. Friday, the victim was walking on Sixth Street under Interstate 35 when she was stopped by the suspect, Moncef Gridda, 21. The woman walked away and turned on San Marcos Street. He followed, threw the victim against a wall, assaulted her and then fled, police wrote in the affidavit.
Two men who heard the woman screaming were able to detain Gridda for police and the victim identified Gridda, who had scratches and bite marks on his face, hands and body, the affidavit said.
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October 6, 2011
Llano man sentenced to 50 years for sexual abuse of a child
FROM THE LLANO DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE:
Kenneth Dale Wooten was sentenced to 50 years in prison on Wednesday, October 5. The defendant pled “not guilty” on Monday, October 3, and after two days of testimony, a Llano County jury returned three “guilty” verdicts. The defendant was convicted of three counts of Indecency with a Child committed against a 9 year old girl that occurred on or about November 20, 2009.
In 2007 the legislature enacted a statute making persons who commit sexual offenses against children under the age of 14 ineligible for probation. The range of punishment for each count was 2 to 20 years incarceration. After several hours of deliberation, the 10-man, 2-woman jury sentenced the defendant to 15 years in prison on count one, 15 years in prison on count two, and 20 years in prison on count three. Judge Dan Mills presided over the trial, and upon a Motion filed by the State, ordered the three sentences run consecutively, for a total of 50 years incarceration. Because of the sexual nature of the offenses he committed, the defendant will have to serve half of his sentence before he becomes eligible for parole. Further, upon release from prison, the defendant will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. The District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the jury for its tough sentence on this sexual predator. The D.A.’s Office would also like to thank Investigator Laurie Brock and the Llano County Sheriff’s Office. Investigator Brock is the lead investigator in most cases involving the abuse and neglect of children.
These kinds of cases are extremely stressful and emotionally draining for a child, male or female. The law affords an accused the right to confront the witnesses against him, and thus a 9 year old girl was required to testify in open court. Courtroom testimony is a very traumatic experience for an abused child. With lengthy and rigorous cross examination by defense counsel, the children themselves are often “put on trial” and forced to overcome attacks on their credibility.
The case was tried by Assistant District Attorneys, Stacy Street and Michael Orbelo of the 33rd and 424th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Mr. Wooten was represented by Eddie Shell. District Attorney, Sam Oatman, has assigned Stacy Street to handle the District’s child abuse cases after loosing long time prosecutor Cheryl Nelson, who left the area to run for District Attorney in her home county. “Child abuse is a raging cancer to our society and every jurisdiction has a caseload that has almost become unmanageable. We always hope this will be a deterrent to anyone who may be thinking of or currently abusing a child. Children need to be believed and these kinds of crimes need to be reported and prosecuted stringently,” says Ms. Street.
District Attorney, Sam Oatman, stated “Even though Stacy has been with my office a relatively short time, she has become a specialist in these kinds of cases. She came from the Midland County District Attorney’s Office with a strong background in prosecuting crimes against children. Orbelo has crossed over from the defense side and is making the change successfully. Both ADA’s are making a great prosecution team. I am extremely proud of the work they did.”
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September 7, 2011
Police: Man sexually assaulted fellow inmate
A Travis County Jail inmate sexually assaulted another inmate in a shower stall in August, according to an arrest affidavit.
Between 3:30 and 4 a.m. on Aug. 14, Johnny Esparza, 31, who was in jail for a parole violation, forced a fellow inmate into a shower stall and assaulted him, the affidavit said.
Esparza remains in custody on $35,000 bail.
The man told police that Esparza said he would find him if he told guards about the assault, the affidavit said.
Two days later, the man passed a note to a guard saying he was sexually assaulted, the affidavit said.
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September 6, 2011
Man charged with assaulting, robbing jogger
Police arrested a man who they said assaulted and robbed a woman jogging on the hike-and-bike trail near the Longhorn Dam in Southeast Austin, according to arrest affidavits.
Oscar Armando Gutierrez, 26, later admitted to police that he raped and robbed a woman, the affidavits said. Friday, police charged him with first-degree aggravated sexual assault and first-degree aggravated robbery. He is in the Travis County Jail with bail set at $200,000.
The woman told police that she was passed by a man, later identified as Gutierrez, around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, the affidavits said. The man then turned around, pointed a gun at the woman and demanded her cell phone, the affidavits said. Gutierrez then led the woman off the trail and assaulted her, the documents said.
Police were able to find Gutierrez by using “analysis and investigative techniques,” according to the affidavits.
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Police: Man sexually assaulted woman
Correction: An earlier version of this post call Woods “Jones” in the last paragraph.
A man has been arrested after police say he sexually assaulted a woman he met at a club Saturday night, according to an arrest affidavit.
Kenneth Lee Woods, 30, is in the Travis County Jail charged with burglary with intent to commit sexual assault, a first-degree felony, after police said he forced his way into a woman’s apartment and raped her, according to an affidavit.
The woman and two friends went to a club earlier Saturday, where they met Woods and invited him to the apartment they shared, the affidavit said.
They asked Woods to leave after he acted offensively, the document said. After he refused to leave, the women forced him out and he banged on windows and doors, the affidavit said.
The victim then cracked open the front door to tell Woods to leave when he stuck his foot in the doorway and forced his way back in the apartment, the affidavit said. When the two roommates locked themselves in a bedroom, he dragged the victim into another bedroom, the affidavit said.
The roommates later left to find help, the document said. After being assaulted, the woman escaped and locked herself into the bathroom and called 911, it said.
Woods later admitted to forcing his way into the apartment and assaulting the woman, the affidavit said. He told detectives that he was “acting as an angry boyfriend” and thought the woman was acting, too, the affidavit said.
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July 28, 2011
Man to serve nine life sentences for assault of a child
A Guadalupe County jury has handed down nine consecutive life sentences to a man convicted of sexually assaulting a girl from when she was 5 years old until she was 12.
Clarence Wesley Curl, Jr., 57, was convicted Wednesday of nine counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and 11 counts of sexual performance of a child.
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July 24, 2011
Man accused of assaulting girl, 12
Travis County deputies have arrested and charged a 33-year-old man with aggravated sexual assault of a child after they say they found him in a garage with a 12-year-old girl, according to an arrest affidavit.
The affidavit says deputies were called out to a home in far eastern Travis County on Saturday afternoon when the girl’s mother saw them in the garage together. There they found Jeremy Armantrout with his zipper down and smoking a cigarette, said the affidavit. Armantrout told deputies that the girl had initiated contact, the affidavit said.
When officials questioned Armantrout about condoms found on a table inside the garage, the affidavit said, Armantrout told deputies that he used them to make bombs but would not say how.
Armantrout told deputies he and the girl “had a special relationship where they can talk to each other about their problems,” according to the affidavit.
Armantrout remains in the Travis County Jail with bail set at $150,000. He could face up to life in prison if convicted.
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July 12, 2011
Man charged in South Austin attempted sexual assaults
A man who police say tried to sexually assault two women in South Austin in separate attacks early Friday morning was arrested Saturday, according to an arrest affidavit.
Charles Granville Wilson, 33, has been charged with attempted sexual assault, the document said. He is in the Travis County Jail on $200,000 bail.
According to the affidavit, a woman was jogging on South Congress Avenue near Milton Street about 5:35 a.m. when she was attacked by a man later identified as Wilson. She told police that Wilson punched her, dragged her to an alley and continued to attack her until a witness chased Wilson, the affidavit said.
A second woman was jogging about 6:40 a.m. near the intersection of South First Street and Barton Springs Road, about a mile north of the first attack, when she was also attacked from behind, the affidavit said. The man, later identified as Wilson, ran off after pushing her to the ground.
Austin police made up a composite sketch of the attacker, who witnesses and a police officer who regularly patrols the area recognized as Wilson, a transient.
On Friday police said they were looking for a man involved in three assaults in South Austin.
The third attack was not detailed in the arrest affidavit. Police officials said today that more details about the case are forthcoming.
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June 28, 2011
Police charge two men with rape
Two men are charged with sexual assault, after one was accused of raping a woman early Sunday in the West Campus area near the University of Texas, police said in arrest affidavits.
Ahmed Alkhamisi, 24, and Turki Alamri, 32, were in custody this afternoon on $100,000 bail. They are not United States citizens and will have to surrender their passports to be released on bail.
According to the affidavit, Alamri told police “there was a disturbance with an intoxicated female,” and he asked her to leave the apartment.
The affidavits said an intoxicated woman wanted to sleep at her friend’s apartment, in a complex in 600 W. 26th St., rather than go home. That address belongs to Jefferson 26 apartments. She approached two men about 3 a.m. and asked for help finding her friend’s unit, the affidavits said.
Instead, the affidavits said, Alkhamisi and Alamri led her into Alamri’s third-floor apartment where Alkhamisi assaulted her.
The woman told Alkhamisi “no” and “stop,” affidavits said. She left the apartment and told a man standing near the elevators that she had just been sexually assaulted, affidavits said.
The man took her to the first floor and called the police, affidavits said.
A friend of the men told police that Alamri later told him he met an intoxicated female who came into Alamri’s apartment and asked her to leave, affidavits said. The friend also said Alkhamisi said he was concerned because he saw police respond after the woman left, affidavits said.
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May 18, 2011
Police: Man affiliated with soccer club facing sexual contact with children charges
A man affiliated with an Austin area soccer club is facing more than a half dozen charges in connection with claims that he had sexual contact with with several minors, including two boys he met at a game park in Pflugerville, according to several arrest affidavits filed last month.
Ramiro Rangel, 43, is facing eight charges, including aggravated sexual assault of a child, online solicitation of a minor and promotion of child pornography, and is being held in Travis County Jail, according to jail records.
Rangel was booked April 22, after Pflugerville police say he had sexual contact with at least two 14-year-old boys, according to court and jail records.Rangel is being held on $600,000 bail.
Parents for the Austin Texans Soccer Club recently got word of the case through an email from the organization and that the suspect was connected to the club, according to a club member.
Rangel met the victims at Austin’s Park and Pizza at 16231 Interstate 35, according to arrest affidavits. He engaged in sexual acts with each boy in two separate occasions, and then sent the boys sexually explicit text messages, the affidavits said. At least one of the incidents occurred this year, the affidavits said.
In another case, Rangel approached a 13-year-old girl and began sending her sexually explicit messages and videos in the summer of 2010, the affidavits said. In September, Rangel contacted another girl, who was 14 at the time of her interview with police last month, through her MySpace page, the affidavits said.
Rangel is slated for a hearing on the matter May 27, court records show.
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May 10, 2011
San Marcos man sentenced to life for child pornography and sex abuse
FROM THE HAYS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE:
Last week, a Hays County Jury found Wesley Wayne Schaefer, age 34, of San Marcos, guilty of one count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child and 127 counts of Possession of Child Pornography. Testimony at trial detailed the hundreds of images of child pornography that were found on the defendant’s computer, many of which had been downloaded from his personal cell phones. In addition to downloading child pornography, the defendant had victimized several children who were in his home at various times.
After hearing evidence from several punishment witnesses after the verdict of guilty, the jury heard closing arguments from both the defense and the prosecutors.
“This is worse than murder,” Assistant District Attorney Cathy Compton told the jury. “This man was a serial murderer of childrens’ souls.”
Attorney John Esman asked for mercy, requesting a chance for his client to live the last years of his life outside of prison.
“He’s the worst of the worst of child predators,” ADA Amy Lockhart responded, “And we have yet to see his equal in our courtroom.”
The jury deliberated for approximately three hours and ultimately sentenced Schaefer to the maximum of life without parole on the Continuous Sexual Abuse count and the maximum 10-year sentence on the remaining possession counts.
District Court Judge Gary Steel ran ten of the Possession of Child Pornography cases consecutively with the Continuous Sexual Abuse conviction. Schaefer’s sentence, with the stacked sentences, is life without parole plus 100 years.
The case was handled by the District Attorney’s Family Justice Division, which specializes in the prosecution of any cases that involve family violence or sexual abuse. Assistant District Attorneys Cathy Compton and Amy Lockhart prosecuted the case. Schaefer was represented by defense attorneys John Esman and David Wyrick.
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April 28, 2011
Austin man on most wanted sex offender list
FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY:
Mark Steven Bauman, 50, has been added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender list with a reward of $3,000. In 2002, Bauman sexually assaulted a seven-year-old female during a six-month period. He was last seen in the Austin area in the summer of 2010 and has strong ties to Mexican and Central American immigrant communities in the Austin area.
Bauman speaks Spanish fluently, and in the past has used Spanish-language matchmaking web sites to meet women. He may currently reside in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras or Colombia; however, anyone with a tip that leads to his arrest, inside or outside of the U.S., will receive the reward money.
Between 1997 and 2005, Bauman was arrested several times on various offenses, including alien smuggling, theft of property, bad check issuance-child support and sexual assault of a child. The last arrest stemmed from the 2002 incident.
In 2006, Bauman traveled for a week, on two occasions, to Guadalajara, Mexico. In January 2007, a woman traveled from Guadalajara to Texas to accuse him of sex-related crimes. In March 2007, Bauman’s parole officer reported that he had gone missing. The Austin Police Department subsequently issued four warrants for his arrest, including possession of child pornography, improper photography or visual recording, failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements and probation violation (original offense: sexual assault of a child). These warrants were later turned over to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. In May 2007, the U.S. Marshals issued an additional warrant for Bauman’s arrest for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. In December 2010, a federal warrant was issued for his arrest for failure to register as a sex offender.
Bauman is a white male, 5 feet 11 inches, 170 pounds and has used the aliases Mark Stephen Bauman, Marcos Bauman and Stephen Bauman. He should be considered armed and dangerous.
Please review Bauman’s bulletin by clicking on the following link for his entire profile.
Anyone with information on these offenders can provide anonymous tips in three different ways: · Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477). · Text the letters DPS—followed by your tip—to 274637 (CRIMES) from your cell phone. · Submit a tip through the DPS website by selecting the sex offender you have information about, and under their picture is a link to submit a web tip.
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April 20, 2011
Man charged with continuous sexual abuse of children
A 53-year-old Travis County man has been charged with first-degree felony continuous sexual abuse of at least four children under the age of 14, according to an arrest affidavit.
In March, several children came forward about Alejandro Guerrero-Tavares, who they said had inappropriately touched them repeatedly for months, some beginning as far back as 2008, the affidavit said. Officials said there could be more than the four victims mentioned in the affidavit.
Guerrero-Tavares has not been arrested, but Travis County deputies issued the warrant for his arrest Wednesday and set bail at $300,000. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
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April 8, 2011
Austin police seek assistance locating sexual assault suspect
Austin police, seeking help locating a suspect in a sexual assault that occurred Sunday in a Northeast Austin parking lot, released a composite sketch of the man Friday.
The victim, a woman, was standing by her car around 3:30 a.m. Sunday at 9601 Middle Fiskville Road, near the Interstate 35 and Rundberg Lane area, when she was assaulted, police said.
The unknown male approached her, threatening her with a knife and raped her, police said.
A witness walked up during the assault, startling the suspect, who then fled the scene eastbound through an apartment complex, police said.
Police released a composite sketch of the suspect, and he is described to be a Hispanic male, dark complexion, 5 feet 3 inches to 5 feet 6 inches tall with a medium build. He is also described to have thick, wavy black hair, cut close on the sides and fuller on top, with brown eyes and a Spanish speaker, police said.
He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt with a design in black on the back, police said. He may be armed with a small silver knife.
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April 6, 2011
Army recruiter charged with sexual assault had contact with other victims, police say
Update: A U.S. Army recruiter charged with sexual assault in a 2009 incident involving a Akins High School student had contact with “several” more victims, Austin police said Thursday.
Now, police are asking anyone who has information about Staff Sergeant Roland Benavides, an Army recruiter since 2008 and worked in an Austin office, or any potential victims, to come forward.
As a recruiter, Benavides, 35, had access to high schools throughout Central Texas, said Austin police detective Michael Crumrine.
“It’s incredibly troubling,” he said.
Benavides was charged Tuesday after a woman came forward claiming she was assaulted when she was an Atkins High School student and considering a career in the military, police said.
Police found the woman while investigating another complaint from another female who reported inappropriate behavior by Benavides last Fall, Crumrine said. Through the investigation, police have uncovered “several” more victims reporting inappropriate behavior by Benavides, Crumrine said.
Crumrine said he could not elaborate on how many victims police have uncovered so far.
The woman who was assaulted in 2009 had reported Benavides to his chain of command in the Army, and was surprised to learn from Austin police that he was still a recruiter and had access to other females, Crumrine said.
Police are asking anyone who has information regarding Benavides or any potential victims to contact the sex crimes tip line at (512) 974-5095.
Earlier: A U.S. Army recruiter was charged with sexual assault Tuesday after a woman came forward about a 2009 incident, according to an arrest affidavit.
The woman was a student at Akins High School in September 2009 when she met Staff Sergeant Roland Benavides at an exhibition the U.S. Army conducted at the school, the affidavit said. It said she gave Bendavides her personal information and was scheduled to take a military aptitude test.
Benavides began texting the victim about what she needed to do to enlist, according to the affidavit, but he turned many of the conversations into sexual conversations, which made the girl uncomfortable. A month after they met, Benavides showed up at her Austin home unannounced and sexual assaulted her, according to police.
The girl told her mother about the assault and showed her a sexually explicit text message from Benavides, the affidavit said. It said the girl and her mother reported the incident to Benavides’s chain of command, however the incident was never reported to Military Criminal Investigation Command or Austin police.
Benavides was interviewed by Austin detectives in March, and was booked into the Travis County Jail on Tuesday with bail set at $150,000. He faces up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted.
Police did not release his mug shot and said more information would be released in a press conference Thursday.
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March 24, 2011
Carnival worker charged in 2010 sexual assault of teenager
A man who worked as a carnival worker at the Star of Texas Rodeo has been charged in the sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl at the fair last year, according to an arrest affidavit.
Willie Lee Miller, 34, of Orangeburg, S.C., has been charged with sexual assault of a child, a second-degree felony, the affidavit said.
The mother of the girl told police that her daughter was assaulted March 17, 2010, after she met Miller, who was working at one of the games in the carnival area, the affidavit said.
Miller told the girl to come with him to his friend’s car because he had to retrieve something, the affidavit said. He then told the girl she could sit in the back of the car because it was cold, and she did, the affidavit said. Miller then got in the back seat of the car and assaulted her, the affidavit said.
On Monday, the girl’s mother returned to the carnival and took a picture of the person she thought was the suspect, the affidavit said. She turned the photo over to her daughter and then to police, the document said.
Miller was taken into custody Thursday, and faces bail of $100,000, according to jail records.
Update: This story has been corrected to say that the sexual assault Miller is accused of occurred last year and that the girl’s mother is the one who returned to the carnival to take the photo.
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Killeen police looking for child assault suspect
Killeen police said they are looking for a 40-year-old man who has been charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child.
About 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, officers responded to a call about a sexual assault on Mountainview Drive. The case was reviewed by the Bell County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday, and a warrant was issued for John Francis Whitlock’s arrest. Police said the victim knew Whitlock and that there is a possibility that he may have more than one victim.
Officials said Whitlock is 6 feet tall and weighs about 270 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes.
Anyone with information on Whitlock is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 254-526-8477, go online at www.killeencrimestoppers.com or text the word KILLEEN to 274637.
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February 24, 2011
Man arrested and charged in aggravated assault case
Police have arrested and charged a 48-year-old man in connection with a Feb. 8 sexual assault in Austin.
An arrest affidavit for Robert Wade Neal says he went into a woman’s apartment that day about 2:30 p.m. and sexually assaulted her. It states he squeezed the woman’s throat to keep her from screaming. The affidavit does not provide an address.
After the assault she ran into her bathroom and called 911, the affidavit says. Police released a composite sketch of the suspect and a few days later someone called with a tip on the whereabouts of Neal.
A search warrant was executed for Neal’s DNA and police arrested him on Feb. 15. He faces aggravated sexual assault charges, sexual assault, burglary of a habitation with intent to commit a felony and failure to register as a sex offender, according to open records.
Neal could face life in prison if he is convicted and is being held on a $540,000 bond. Neal remained in the Travis County Jail Thursday.
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February 22, 2011
Fort Hood soldier charged with two child sexual assaults
FROM THE KILLEEN POLICE DEPARTMENT:
On Monday, October 18, 2010, an eleven year old female was abducted and assaulted by a man in the 1100 block of Duncan Ave, while she was walking to her bus stop. On Friday, December 10, 2010, another female was kidnapped and assaulted by a man driving a dark colored vehicle in the area of Murphy and York, as she was walking to her bus stop.
Raul Aragonez Jr. an active duty Fort Hood soldier; was arrested on Wednesday, January 12, 2011, while officers were patrolling in the area of 14th St. and Attas Ave. On Friday, January 14, 2011, he was charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child for the December 10, 2010 incident and is currently in the Bell County Jail with a $1,000,000 bond.
Today, Tuesday, February 22, 2011, the Bell County District Attorney’s Office issued a complaint charging Raul Aragonez Jr. with a second charge of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child for the October 18, 2010 incident. This charge comes after DNA evidence was confirmed through the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab, linking Aragonez with this incident.
While Aragonez’s arrest has stopped a serious threat to our children, there are other potential threats lurking that require our communities to remain on the alert. Child safety begins in the home, but it extends to the community when children are out walking through neighborhoods and along roadways. The communities of Killeen, Harker Heights, Nolanville, Fort Hood and the Killeen Independent School District, are working together to help keep our children safe.
“As a community we need to remain vigilant to ensure that when suspicious activity is noticed, area law enforcement is notified to ensure our children do not fall prey to someone wanting to cause them harm.” said Chief Dennis Baldwin.
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February 11, 2011
Police looking for sexual assault suspect
FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT:
On Tuesday, February 8, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. a Black Male suspect entered a female victim’s apartment in the 8500 Block of Dryfield Dr., grabbed her by the throat and sexually assaulted her. The suspect left the residence taking cigarettes and a small blue camera with him. The victim stated that the suspect had the odor of beer on his breath during the assault.
Two weeks prior to the assault, the suspect was seen in the area of North Lamar and Hwy 183 near the transit center.
The suspect is described as:
Black Male
20’s
5’7”
200 lbs
Closely shaven or bald head
He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt under a black fleece pullover with a short, centered zipper, Brown cargo pants, Gold, very thin, wire-rimmed glasses (possibly prescription), and Brown leather shoes with laces. The glasses fit loosely and fell off easily.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of this suspect is asked to call the APD Sex Crimes Unit at 512-974-4921.
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February 7, 2011
Man charged in sexual assault of 16-year-old, affidavit says
A man has been charged in the sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl who was picked up after school in January by a group of men in Northeast Austin, according to an arrest affidavit.
Braylon Cloud, 28 of Pflugerville, has been charged with sexual assault of a child, according to the affidavit. He was booked into Travis County jail on Feb. 1 and faces bail of $200,000, the affidavit said.
The victim said she was walking home after school on Blessing Avenue near Cameron Road and U.S. 183 when a group of men approached her in a vehicle, the affidavit said. She said two men inside offered her a ride, the affidavit said. The men handed the teen marijuana to smoke, the affidavit said.
They later drove the victim two blocks away, where two men assaulted the victim, the affidavit said. She was then taken to an apartment on Blessing Avenue, the affidavit said. There, the girl was assaulted again by one of the men, later identified as Cloud, the affidavit said.
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January 19, 2011
'Ether Man' formally charged in 2006 rape case in Austin
A Colorado man who officials say has been linked to more than a dozen rapes in the southwestern United States has been formally charged in an Austin 2006 case, according to several arrest affidavits.
Robert Howard Bruce, 48, at right, has been charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, burglary with commission of aggravated sexual assault and burglary with intent to commit sexual assault, the affidavits filed said. He faces $250,000 bail in connection with the charges here, the affidavits said.
DNA linked Bruce to the May 2006 sexual assault of a University of Texas student at a residence on 55½ Street, Austin police said in 2009 after news broke that he was connected to the case. The Austin victim lost consciousness after her assailant held a chemical-soaked rag against her face.
Bruce, who has been linked to similar assaults in New Mexico and Texas, and was formally charged in Travis County on Wednesday, the affidavits said.
Bruce is currently jailed in the Pueblo County, Colo., on several other charges, with bail set at $3.8 million bail, according the county’s jail records.
Nicknamed the “Ether Man,” Bruce was linked to more than 15 rape cases that date back to 1991, police have said.
Bruce was arrested in Colorado in 2007 and accused of peeping into a woman’s bedroom window. Under Colorado law, Bruce would have had to give a DNA sample if convicted and register as a sex offender. But he never appeared for court.
Instead, days before his court date, Bruce hooked up a propane tank to the home of the police officer slated to testify against him in an attempt to blow up the house while the officer, his wife and child were inside, police have said.
He is now awaiting trail for the attempted murder case involving the officer and his family, according to jail records and media reports.
Police have said Bruce ran a food vending business that took him to college towns, where he found most of his targets. The oldest evidence to match Bruce’s DNA was taken from a 1991 Albuquerque rape, police said. Bruce continued to rape women near the University of New Mexico for at least nine years, officers said.
By 2009, Bruce was wanted on 44 counts of violent felonies in Albuquerque, including rape, kidnapping, aggravated battery and aggravated burglary.
Police here have said Bruce likely never lived in the Austin area and was visiting, as officers found records of him staying at a hotel near the home of the UT student he is accused of assaulting.
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December 30, 2010
Man charged in 2009 downtown sexual assault
Update:
Shawn Paul Decker, 30, has been arrested by Wisconsin police in connection with a sexual assault, a first-degree felony, charge in the assault of a woman at knifepoint at the Railyard Condominiums, an Austin police spokesman said Thursday.
Decker was detained by police there last night, the spokesman said.
Earlier:
A man has been charged in connection with a 2009 sexual assault of a woman in downtown Austin through DNA evidence, according to an arrest affidavit.
Shawn Paul Decker, 30, has been charged with sexual assault, a first-degree felony, in the assault of a woman at knifepoint at the Railyard Condominiums, the affidavit said. He has not been arrested on the charges, but faces bail of $200,000, according to a police official and the arrest affidavit.
At 3 a.m. on Aug. 1, 2009, Decker approached the woman outside the condos at 201 East Fourth Street and asked her if he could borrow $5 for a cab, the affidavit said. The woman said he could, but didn’t have the money on her and returned back to her apartment at the Railyard to retrieve it, the affidavit said.
When the woman turned around, she saw Decker was following her and had a knife, the affidavit said. Decker forced the woman to continue to her apartment, where he forced her to undress and assaulted her, the affidavit said.
The woman immediately contacted authorities and evidence was collected to create a DNA profile of the attacker, the affidavit said. A match made in Colorado this week led authorities to Decker, the affidavit said.
Last year, police warned women to be on the lookout downtown after the assault occurred.
Shortly before the woman was attacked at the Railyard condos, it was reported that another woman was approached by a man at a nearby downtown garage after work. The woman was attacked by the man, and the two struggled, but she was able to spray him with Mace and escape, reports said.
Surveillance video of a suspect in that incident was released. The incidents triggered extra patrols of police along downtown streets as well.
At the time, police reported that the the same man could be linked to both attacks, but the affidavit naming Decker as a suspect in the Railyard assault does not refer to the other attack.
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November 8, 2010
Kyle man sentenced to 45 years for sex assault
FROM THE HAYS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE:
After being found guilty by a Hays County jury of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, 39 year old Gerardo Delarosa was sentenced to 45 years in prison by visiting District Judge Mark Lutjen. The sexual abuse of the child began while the child was 7 years old and continued for a period of 4 years. A jury of 10 men and two women took less than one hour to convict the Kyle resident of the offense last month following two days of testimony. Delarosa subsequently elected to have the Court assess punishment which was handed down on Thursday. Delarosa faced a punishment range of 5 years to life in prison.
Assistant District Attorneys Cathy Compton and Amy Lockhart prosecuted the case on behalf of the State.
For more information contact Fred Weber at (512) 393-7600.
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October 26, 2010
Dancer jailed on four counts of sexual assault
A former Austin hip-hop dancer has been jailed on four counts of sexual assault, with two of those charges involving 17-year-old girls, according to Travis County Jail records and court records.
Stacey Aldridge, 42, was jailed Oct. 3 on $175,000 bail, according to the jail records.
Aldridge was charged with two new counts of sexual assault earlier this month after the father of another victim contacted police, according to an arrest affidavit. Aldridge bought drinks and assaulted two 17-year-old girls after they went to a club in April, the affidavit said.
Aldridge was charged last month for assaulting two other women, court records said. One woman was assaulted at the dance studio where Aldridge taught after he invited her there late one night in June, the affidavit said.
Aldridge also sexually assaulted another woman in 2006 at her North Austin home, court records said.
Aldridge was previously listed as an instructor at the Dance Zone, a school in the Castilian dormitory in the 2300 block of San Antonio Street near the University of Texas, according to the studio’s website last month. His photo has since been removed from the website.
Aldridge also had been an instructor for UT’s informal classes in previous years.
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October 13, 2010
Police seek possible child victims of sexual assault suspect
FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT:
On September 21, 2010 the Austin Police Department Child Abuse Unit received a call stating that a child had been molested by a friend’s father while she was being homeschooled at a home school co-op during 2007 and 2008.
On Wednesday, October 13, 2010 Richard “Rick” Charles Sweeten was arrested by the APD Fugitive Apprehension Unit for Sexual Assault of a Child, 2nd Degree Felony related to APD incident 10-5051474.
For many years Sweeten has been involved in a home school co-op and has had access to many children. The APD Child Abuse Unit is seeking the public’s assistance in locating any other potential victims who may have visited, attended and/or been homeschooled at his residence.
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September 8, 2010
Man under indictment faces new child molestation charge
An Austin man already charged in three cases involving exposing himself to children is facing a new charge of indecency with a child by contact, according to an arrest affidavit.
Police said Daysha Deon Maxwell, 25, who is believed to be a Blood gang member, met a teenage boy at a nightclub in Pflugerville in July, the affidavit says. It says Maxwell and the 14-year-old became friends, and in late July, Maxwell took him to an apartment near 51st Street and Springdale Road.
Maxwell told the boy he was going to teach him dance moves and explained that the apartment was empty because he had just moved in, the affidavit says. It says Maxwell inappropriately touched the boy before taking him home. The next day, Maxwell again took the boy to the apartment, but when the boy refused to go inside, Maxwell punched him in the neck, the affidavit says.
The boy told police he ran from the apartment and hid behind a church until the following morning, according to the affidavit. It says the boy was afraid of Maxwell because of his affiliation with the gang.
In 2007, Maxwell told a boy, then 14, that he could get into the Bloods by being jumped in, by stealing something, by jumping or raping someone, or by letting someone have sex with him.
The boy told police that after that conversation, there were five incidents in which Maxwell exposed himself to or sexually assaulted the teen in January 2007.
In a separate case, Maxwell is accused of exposing himself to an 8-year-old boy in 2002. He has been indicted in that case as well, according to court documents.
Maxwell, pictured at right, could face up to 20 years in prison for the most recent charge. He has not been arrested.
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September 2, 2010
Sex assault suspects sought
FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT:
Austin Police officers responded to a sexual assault call in the 7800 block of Texas Plume Dr.
A preliminary investigation shows that an adult female had visited a bar on Pond Springs Road where she met two men. The men offered to drive the female home. During the ride, the men sexually assaulted the female.
The men are described as: Suspect #1 Black male Light skinned Mid 20’s 5’10”, thin build He was last seen wearing a white polo style shirt with dark stripes, dark pants and light colored shoes.
Suspect #2 Black male Mid 20’s Bald 5’7”, medium build He was last seen wearing a long sleeved button down shirt, white t-shirt, dark pants and white shoes.
They left the scene in a dark SUV.
This case remains under investigation by APD Sex Crimes Unit. Anyone with information about the suspect and/or this incident is asked to call the Sex Crimes tip line at (512) 974-5095, Crime Stoppers at (512) 472-TIPS or text “Tip 103” + your message to CRIMES. You may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 if your tip leads to an arrest or charges being filed.
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September 1, 2010
Temple police seeking suspect who sexually assaulted woman along highway
FROM THE TEMPLE POLICE DEPARTMENT:
Early this morning, at about 4:30 am, Temple Police responded to the 4300 block of South Interstate 35 in reference to a victim of a sexual assault. Officers arrived to meet the adult female victim, who was transported to Scott and White Hospital by ambulance with non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators learned the woman had been walking along the interstate highway, in about the 5100 block of South General Bruce Drive (interstate access road) when she was approached by an unknown male, whom was also on foot. The suspect allegedly grabbed her and forced her into a secluded field near the roadway, then sexually assaulted her. When the assault was over, the suspect left on foot, and the victim went to find a phone to call the police.
The victim did not know the suspect. He is described as: Black male Tall, thin build Last seen wearing white muscle- or tank-style t-shirt, dark shorts
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Temple Police Department at 254-298-5500.
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Dancer faces sexual assault charges, affidavit says
A popular Austin hip hop dance instructor is facing a felony sexual assault charge after attacking two women, according to an arrest affidavit filed Wednesday.
Stacey Aldridge, 42, assaulted one of the women at the dance studio where he taught after inviting her there late one night in June, the affidavit said.
Aldridge is listed as an instructor at the Dance Zone, a dance school in the Castilian dormitory in the 2300 block of San Antonio Street near the University of Texas, according the dance studio’s website. Aldridge also was a former instructor for UT’s’ informal classes.
“Aldridge has been teaching at gyms, dance studios and resorts for over 14 years and is one of the most well-known figures in the Austin dance community,” reads the Dance Zone website.
Aldridge also sexually assaulted another woman in 2006 at her North Austin home, the affidavit said.
Travis County Jail records show he is not currently in custody, but faces bail of $20,000, the affidavit said.
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August 26, 2010
Man pleads guilty to sexually assaulting child
FROM THE HAYS COUNTY JUSTICE CENTER:
On the morning of his jury trial Jimmy Duran Lopez, age 37 of Austin, entered a plea of guilty to 18 counts of child sexual abuse. Specifically, Lopez pled guilty to 13 counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child and 5 counts of Sexual Assault of a Child. The abuse started when the child was 8 years old and spanned a period of six years.
In addition Lopez pled true to allegations that he had previously been convicted of two felonies. By doing so he now faces a sentence ranging from a minimum of 25 years to a maximum of life in prison on each count. District Judge Jack Robison set the case for a punishment hearing on September 13 at which time he will assess punishment and determine whether Lopez will serve the 18 sentences consecutively or concurrently.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney’s Cathy Compton and Amy Lockhart.
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Police seek suspect in two sex crimes
FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT:
The Austin Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a suspect wanted in two sex crimes cases.
APD received information that late Saturday evening, August 21, 2010; a female accepted a ride from a Hispanic male who was driving a pick up truck. Shortly after beginning the drive, the male pulled out a knife and threatened to harm the victim. He then attempted to sexually assault her. She fought with the suspect and was able to escape from his vehicle. Shortly thereafter the suspect contacted another female. He punched her in the face, and was able to overpower her, forcing her into his truck. He held a knife to her throat and drove to Derby Cove where he sexually assaulted her.
The suspect is described as:
Hispanic male, light complexion Mid 20’s 5’10”, thin build Black hair cut in a fade style Prominent nose with bump midway Prominent Adam’s apple He is possibly driving a newer model dark blue 4door Chevy Silverado quad cab with a leather interior.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the APD Sex Crimes Unit 512-974-5230.
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August 6, 2010
Police search for man charged with assaulting a child
Police are looking for a man who is accused of sexually assaulting a young girl for about 18 months, according to an arrest affidavit filed yesterday by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.
The girl, whose identity is being withheld, told police that Troy David Oskerson, 35, sexually abused her five times starting about two years ago, the affidavit said.
The girl made an outcry June 16, six days after the last assault, the affidavit said.
When police came to Oskerson’s apartment at 12118 Walnut Park Crossing in North Austin, a neighbor approached saying Oskerson was seen running out the back door, the affidavit said. He has not been located.
Oskerson has been charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, a felony.
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August 2, 2010
Man gets 20 years for assault of a child
A man who pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child was sentenced to 20 years in prison today. James Larry Wilson, 51, will not be eligible for parole for at least 10 years, according to Williamson County District Attorney John Bradley.
Wilson was scheduled to begin a jury trial Monday, but he waived his right and agreed to the sentence, Bradley said.
In June 2009, a 4-year-old girl told her mother that Wilson had touched her, and a doctor at Dell Children’s Hospital confirmed she has been assaulted.
“By listening and acting quickly to seek medical support, this mother protected her child and helped remove a dangerous pedophile from the community,” Bradley said. “I encourage parents everywhere to listen carefully to their children if they make an outcry of abuse.”
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July 30, 2010
Austin most wanted sex offender arrested in South Dakota
FROM THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY:
Leonard Eugene Wilson, 26, who had been listed as one of the DPS Most Wanted Sex Offenders, was arrested July 30 by the Rapid City, South Dakota Police Department after Texas authorities received a tip about his location.
Wilson, whose last known locations were in Austin and Waco, was wanted for failure to register as a sex offender. His criminal history includes convictions for aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child by sexual contact, indecency with a child by exposure and failure to register as a sex offender. He had been wanted since 2008.
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July 13, 2010
Man charged with sexual assault of a child
A man accused of abusing a 4-year-old Austin girl this month has been charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child.
Gerald Joseph Laneaux drove the girl to an unknown location on July 1 and assaulted her in his car, an arrest affidavit said.
The girl’s mother later noticed that her daughter’s underwear was not on correctly and questioned the girl, and then called police, the document said.
Laneaux was arrested and later released from Travis County Jail on $100,000 bail, Austin police said.
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April 27, 2010
Police looking for sexual assault suspect
FROM THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT:
On Sunday, April 25, 2010 at 2:30 a.m. a female left a nightclub in the 300 block of W. 6th Street. The victim’s vehicle was parked in the 1100 block of W. 2nd St. As she walked west toward N. Lamar Blvd., she noticed a male following her. When she reached W. 2nd St. the male ran up behind her and grabbed her. He pulled her into a nearby field, threatened her and sexually assaulted her. She continued to fight with the suspect until he fled the scene. He was last seen running northbound on N. Lamar Blvd.
The suspect is described as: Hispanic Male 25-30 years of age 5’4” to 5’5” 145 pounds, thin build Long black hair Clean shaven
He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a brown t-shirt with a possible design on the front. The suspect spoke in broken English.
This case remains under investigation by APD Sex Crimes detectives. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Sex Crimes tip line at (512) 974-5095, Crime Stoppers at 472-TIPS or text “Tip 103” + your message to CRIMES. You may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 if your tip leads to an arrest or charges being filed.
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February 26, 2010
Bastrop County sheriff's deputy charged with sexual assault of child
A deputy with the Bastrop County Sheriff’s office has been arrested and charged with continuing sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony offense, officials said today.
Lt. Eddie Matthews, 45, at right, was booked in the Bastrop County Jail this morning with bail set at $100,000. He faces between 25 to 99 years in prison if convicted. The offense involves repeated acts of sexual abuse of a child younger than 14 over a period of at least 30 days.
Matthews is accused of more than 10 acts of indecency with a child by contact and more than 10 acts of aggravated sexual assault of a child over the past year.
The sheriff’s office said Matthews was placed on administrative leave when the allegations were first reported to authorities Thursday night, and that his badge and duty weapons were immediately surrendered. A warrant for his arrest was issued this morning.
A press release from the sheriff’s office said there was a single victim who was not a stranger to Matthews, and that he did not use his law enforcement position to aid in the assault.
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February 3, 2010
San Marcos man gets life sentence for sexual abuse
FROM HAYS COUNTY:
A Hays County jury sentenced Roger Reyes, age 40 of San Marcos, to life in prison without the possibility of parole after convicting him of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child. The jury also convicted him of one count of Sexual Performance by a Child and ordered him to serve 50 years on that charge. The sentences will run concurrently.
Testimony at trial showed that the molestation took place over a period of months during 2007 and 2008 and included episodes where Reyes used ligatures to restrain the girl. Reyes had married the girl’s mother following his release from prison where he had served time for kidnapping a 16 year-old Bexar County girl and attempting to rape her. Confronting her attacker for the first time, that victim appeared as a witness in the Hays County case describing how he tied her up “like an animal” after dragging her into his apartment.
This was the first case of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child to be tried to a jury in Hays County. The new statute stems from the Legislature’s recognition that where children have been abused over a period of time 30 days or more in duration, it is difficult - if not impossible - for them to recall sufficient details of individual episodes to satisfy the requirements for convictions under other statutes. Assistant District Attorney Cathy Compton praised the new statute as an effective tool in prosecuting child sexual abuse cases and plans to charge additional cases under the new statute when appropriate.
Hays County Criminal District Attorney Sherri Tibbe thanked the jury for its verdict stating, “Our office is extremely grateful to the 12 jurors and 2 alternates for their service in this case. This was a difficult case that dealt one of the most heinous acts a criminal defendant can commit. We commend their service and dedication in seeing that justice was served for Roger Reyes’ victims and the citizens of Hays County.”
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December 15, 2009
Sexual assault charges filed against Austin man
The Austin Police Department today issued warrants for the arrest of a 56-year-old man charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by contact in connection with accusations of molestation from an 11-year-old girl.
Both charges against Mayolo Castellano are felonies. The warrants followed what began with an investigation begun by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services on Oct. 28 when the girl told medical staff during a checkup that she had been sexually abused by the suspect since she was in kindergarten, the warrants say.
The warrant also outlines accusations made by underage female cousins of the victim of sexual abuse by the suspect.
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December 14, 2009
Police: Officer stops car, finds sex assault victim
An Austin police officer who stopped a man for erratic driving Thursday morning on Interstate 35, arrested the man after a frantic woman wearing only a shirt came out of the back seat and told the officer the driver had sexually assaulted her.
Robert Lee Green, 22, was held on a $75,000 bail Monday in the Travis County Jail, charged with sexual assault, a second-degree felony, according to an arrest affidavit filed today.
The woman told police she accepted a ride home from the suspect Wednesday night from a downtown club, the affidavit said. The suspect drove to his home in the 2200 block of E. Eighth St. and invited the woman in while he changed clothes, it said.
When the woman refused the suspect’s advances, he pushed and punched her and attempted to force oral sex on her, the affidavit said. The woman told police she thought she lost consciousness after falling off the bed and having the suspect kick her in the head, the affidavit said.
She awoke to find herself being dragged into the back seat of the suspect’s car, the affidavit said. When the officer began following the car on southbound I-35, the suspect pulled over. The victim burst from the back seat and the officer found the suspect behind the wheel wearing gym shorts and no shirt, the affidavit said.
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December 11, 2009
Taylor substitute arrested for sexual assault of student
A Taylor school district substitute teacher has been arrested for sexual assault of a child.
According to police, Gabriel Luis Sanchez, 24, at right, is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old student on the Taylor High School campus sometime after 4 p.m. Tuesday.
The student reported the incident Wednesday, and the district notified police, said Taylor police Capt. Don Georgens.
Sanchez was arrested Thursday at his home in Taylor without incident, police said. Bail was set at $100,000 and Sanchez remained in jail Friday night.
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December 1, 2009
Charges added for man held since September
An 18-year-old man held since early September on aggravated robbery and assault charges has now been charged with burglary and attempted sexual assault in a separate incident.
Celso Gutierrez was linked to an attempted sexual assault of a woman Aug. 30 in the 4000 block of South Congress Avenue through DNA testing, according to an affidavit filed today.
The suspect, armed with a shotgun, and four masked men forced their way into an apartment with five people, the affidavit said. The suspect pulled a necklace off of the victim and when she said she didn’t have money, he fired a shotgun blast into the floor, the affidavit said. A few of the ricocheting pellets struck the victim.
The suspect attempted to sexually assault the woman before all of the suspects left the apartment, the affidavit said.
Austin police arrested Gutierrez on Sept. 2 after a similar report of an aggravated robbery and assault with a deadly weapon involving multiple suspects, the affidavit said.
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November 20, 2009
Two men charged in sexual assault case
Two men have been charged with sexually assaulting a woman in separate incidents during a night of drinking, police say.
Scott Taylor, 21, and Jeffrey Schlitte, 21, have not been arrested in connection with the May 3 incident, court records show.
The female victim drove to Austin from Waco to go to a party with Taylor and his girlfriend, according to an arrest affidavit.
Police say the group rented a room at a motel at 7619 N. Interstate 35 before going to a club in downtown Austin. At the club, the woman saw Schlitte, whom she knows from school, the report says.
The woman became sick from alcohol and lay down in the back seat of the truck after leaving the club, the affidavit said. She told detectives that she remembers waking up in the truck outside an ‘after party’ to find Schlitte assaulting her, the report says. Police say Schllite then exited the vehicle, and the victim was driven back to the motel.
At the motel, Taylor also assaulted her, police say.
Taylor and Schlitte both told detectives that the sex was consensual.
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Police investigating possible sexual assault at middle school
Austin school district police are investigating a possible sex crime that happened Thursday in a South Austin middle school classroom while students were watching a video lesson, officials said.
Several Covington Middle School students may have been involved in the incident, according to a letter sent to parents from Principal Candace Hughs.
“Parents and guardians whose children were involved in the incident have already been contacted,” the letter said.
Officials declined to release other details about the incident, but said counseling was available to students.
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November 13, 2009
Man charged with sexual assault of a child
Update:
An aggravated sexual assault of a child charge against Christopher Naymik was dismissed on Feb. 24, 2010, according to court records.
Earlier:
A 38-year-old Austin man accused of sexually assaulting girl when she was 8 years old was arrested today, according to an arrest affidavit.
Christopher Naymik, 38, was charged with the sexual assault of a child in connection with several incidents in 2007, the document said.
The girl, who was not been identified because of the nature of the case, told Austin police detectives that Naymik assaulted her several times at an apartment on Evening Shadows Drive near Austin Bergstrom International Airport, the document said. Naymik told her, “If you tell your mother, then I’ll kill y’all,” she said to investigators.
Child Protective Services interviewed the child in 2007 after her father called police to report the abuse, but the girl did not make an outcry, the affidavit said.
In February 2009, CPS received a new referral about the case, which was then passed to Austin police detectives.
Bail for Naymik has been se at $750,000.
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October 28, 2009
Police investigating reported sexual assault of 12-year-old girl
Police are investigating the sexual assault Tuesday night of a 12-year-old girl in Northeast Austin.
Cpl. Scott Perry, a spokesman for the Austin Police Department, said this morning that the girl told police a man tried to entice her into his pickup around 7:30 p.m. last night in the 2900 block of Loyola Lane.
When she walked away, the man got out of the truck, approached her and pulled her into a nearby park where he then sexually assaulted her, Perry said.
“I want to stress that the girl still needs to be forensically interviewed, so that we can be sure that we have the most accurate information and so we can find out exactly what happened,” Perry said.
The girl is not being identified because of the nature of the crime.
The man is believed to be in his 30s, about 5-feet 8-inches tall and 150 pounds with black hair. He was last seen wearing a red t-shirt, blue jeans, brown boots and black leather gloves.
Anyone with more information about the incident is asked to call APD’s Child Abuse Unit at 974-6880.
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Man charged with sexual assault of 81-year-old woman
A 43-year-old man who was living in the home of a 81-year-old woman after being released from prison on parole has been charged with sexually assaulting her.
James David Dominguez is being held on a $70,000 bail in the Travis County Jail on a charge of second degree sexual assault, a felony, according to an affidavit filed today.
Dominguez, who was released from prison in May after serving time for a felony aggravated assault conviction, was invited to live with the victim in her home, the affidavit said.
The Statesman is not identifying the woman because of the nature of the crime.
On Sept. 15, after dinner and a shower, a naked Dominguez attacked and assaulted the woman, the affidavit said. Dominguez left the house and called the woman the next day, threatening to kill her if she reported the assault to police, the affidavit said.
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October 21, 2009
Police: men offered woman ride from club, then sexually assaulted her
Two men were in the Travis County Jail today on sexual assault charges after a woman they met at an East Riverside Drive nightclub said they offered to give her a ride home but instead assaulted her and dumped her in South Austin, according to arrest affidavits filed by Austin police.
Julio Morales-Hernandez, 22, and Gilberto Hernandez-Rios, 24, were being held on $125,000 bail each on the felony charges, according to the affidavits.
Police arrested the men Sunday after the woman and witnesses provided descriptions of a group of men who gave a ride to the victim and a friend from Club Carnival at 2237 E. Riverside Drive early Sunday morning.
According to the affidavit, the men dropped the victim’s friend off, then drove the Tahoe to an area near South Pleasant Valley and Oltorf Street in South Austin, sexually assaulted her, then pushed her out of the Chevrolet Tahoe and drove off, the affidavit said.
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October 13, 2009
San Marcos assault investigation continues
As they continued their investigation into a sexual assault of a female student Tuesday, Texas State University police worked to lessen anxiety on campus after the attack.
“This was an isolated incident and there have been no other reports of similar occurrences,” said Mark Hendricks, director of the Texas State University News Service. “Investigators will be conducting interviews related to the matter today.”
University police said a tall man wearing a beanie, a windbreaker and surgical gloves forced a woman into a car, brandished a knife and sexually assaulted her late Monday morning in the Pleasant Street Garage on the west side of the Texas State campus.
Investigators asked that anyone with information about the assault call campus police at 512-245-2805 or Campus Crime Stoppers at 512-245-7867.
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September 17, 2009
DNA from 2006 sexual assault matches Albuquerque crimes
Police in Albuquerque, N.M., have matched the DNA from a serial rapist in that area with DNA found at the scene of a sexual assault in Austin in 2006, Austin police Cpl. Scott Perry said.
The nature of the assaults had made it difficult to create a sketch of the suspect because in each case, the man put a rag soaked in a chemical over the woman’s face and knocked her out before assaulting her, Perry said. In the Austin incident, which took place in May 2006, a man assaulted a woman while she was sleeping in her home on 55 1/2 Street, Perry said.
Recently, police were able to create a sketch of the suspect from the Austin and Albuquerque cases thanks to a possible botched sexual assault during a robbery.
Albuquerque police matched the DNA from the suspect they believe committed several rapes in that city between 1991 and 2001 with DNA found in an unsolved robbery case. The victim in that incident told police the man tried to put a rag over her face, but she was able to fight him off and see his face.
Anyone with information about the suspect pictured below should call Austin police, or 911.
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September 10, 2009
Man charged with sexual assault of a child
Ubaldo Medina, 66, was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child Wednesday.
Medina sexually assaulted a female relative multiple times since 2007, according to the arrest affidavit. The abuse started when the girl visited Medina in Mexico and continued in Travis County, where the man had moved to live with her family, the affidavit said. The girl told a school guidance counselor this week about the assaults, according to the document.
Medina is currently being held in the Travis County jail with bail set at $100,000. He could face up to 99 years in prison if convicted.
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September 8, 2009
Austin man charged in child sex assault
Roberto Hernandez-Guerrero, 20, of Austin, was charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first-degree felony, after he had sex with a 12-year-old girl, according to an arrest affidavit by the Travis County sheriff’s office.
Bail was set at $100,000.
According to the arrest affidavit, the child’s parents became aware of some sort of relationship between the girl and Hernandez-Guerrero, who lives in the neighborhood. According to the affidavit, Hernandez-Guerrero told police he had sexual contact with the girl, in addition to sending her text messages and giving her gifts, according to the affidavit.
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August 15, 2009
Man charged in sexual assault
Authorities have arrested and charged a man who they said broke into a woman’s Northwest Austin home and sexually assaulted her.
David Paez Gonzales, 38, is charged with sexual assault and burglary with intent to commit sexual assault in connection with an incident Tuesday on Morado Cove, near Jollyville Road and West Braker Lane.
According to an arrest affidavit, a woman woke up around 7 a.m. to find a stranger in her bedroom who then assaulted her. The affidavit said Gonzales fled with her backpack, her bedsheets and driver’s license.
The affidavit said the woman gave investigators a description of the attacker. Detectives then released a sketch to the public.
The affidavit said someone recognized Gonzales and called police. When they searched his home, they found the woman’s backpack and other items, the affidavit said.
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Arrest made in sex assault
From the Austin Police Department:
On Friday, Aug. 14, 2009 the Austin Police Department made an arrest for the Sexual Assault that occurred on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009 on Morado Circle.
The identity and booking photo of the suspect is not being released at this time due to the ongoing. investigation.
The citizens of Austin can rest assure that the individual responsible for the attack on August 11, 2009 has been identified, arrested, and placed in custody at the Travis County Sheriff’s Central Booking Facility.
A press conference will be scheduled for Monday, Aug. 17, 2009. A time has not been determined.
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August 12, 2009
Police seek suspect in sexual assault
Police are searching for a man suspected of sexually assaulting a woman in North Austin yesterday morning.
Detective Melanie Rodriguez said that at 7 a.m. Tuesday, a man forced his way into the woman’s apartment at 10610 Morado Circle and sexually assaulted her in her bedroom. “The victim struggled with him,” Rodriguez said. “His main focus was to come in and commit the sexual assault” and leave, she said.
Police describe the suspect as a 30-year-old man between 5’6” and 5’8” who has black short hair that is possibly a little longer on the top, Rodriguez said. He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt with a “No Fear” logo, and navy blue basketball shorts.
Rodriguez said that a composite sketch should be available later this week. Police ask that anyone with information about the suspect contact APD at 974-5095.
Police said it is too early to determine whether this assault was committed by the same person who sexual assaulted a woman in the same area in May. No arrests have been made in connection with the May assault, police said.
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August 6, 2009
Man charged with assaulting, robbing woman
Police arrested an Austin man accused of sexually assaulting and robbing a woman in South Austin, according to an arrest affidavit.
Mitchell Lynden Allen, 25, is charged with burglary of a habitation with intent to commit sexual assault, aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon and aggravated sexual assault — all felony charges.
Mitchell is not, however, the same man police have linked to a sexual assault an attempted sexual assault downtown last weekend. Police are still searching for that suspect.
Police also arrested a juvenile male in connection with the burglary, but they would not release any other information.
Just before midnight Aug. 3, Allen and an unidentified man entered a house in the 1900 block of Kenwood Avenue and demanded money, drugs and jewelry from a female resident of the home, the affidavit says. The woman told the two men that she didn’t have any money. After taking some property from the home, Allen held the woman at gunpoint and sexually assaulted her, the affidavit said.
When Allen was apprehended by police, he told them he had sex with the woman, but that it had been consensual, the document said.
Police arrested Allen on Tuesday morning. He was booked into the Travis County Jail with bail set at $375,000.
Permalink | Categories: Police, Sexual assault
July 31, 2009
Physical therapist charged with sexually assaulting patient
Austin police have charged a physical therapist with sexually assaulting a patient he was treating this year.
According to an arrest affidavit, Terrill Warren Jenkerson, 47, assaulted the woman during a March 20 appointment at his office on West 38th Street.
The affidavit said Jenkerson told investigators about his actions during an interview. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the second-degree felony.
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