August 6, 2008
By Jim Schoettler, The Times-Union
She was a 15-year-old Jacksonville girl with behavior problems whose parents trusted their pastor to give her private counseling.
But details the teen gave to police about what she said happened in darkened rooms and elsewhere describes anything but help meant for a troubled child.
The teen's allegations of being molested and receiving sexually explicit text messages were included in 800 pages of records released Tuesday in three criminal counts against former pastor Darrell Gilyard.
The records also include pages of lewd text messages involving a cellular phone belonging to Gilyard and another teenage church member. That 14-year-old girl's initial texting to Gilyard led to a crude string of phone sex banter that is part of the criminal case.
Gilyard, 46, was arrested in January and charged with lewd and lascivious conduct on the 14-year-old girl. The case began when the girl's mother contacted police after finding some of the text messages.
Charges of lewd and lascivious conduct and lewd and lascivious molestation were added in March. The new charges involved the 15-year-old, who was friends with the other teen. Both girls said they had their encounters with Gilyard last year, well before he took a leave of absence and eventually resigned from the church as the case became public.
Not guilty plea was entered
Gilyard has pleaded not guilty to all counts and has been free on $5,000 bond since his arrest. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 3.
http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/080608/met_314190357.shtml
July 23, 2008
Former teacher Daniel Ray Metroka sentenced in molestation case
July 23, 2008
By SONJA BJELLAND, The Press-Enterprise
A former California School for the Deaf Riverside teacher was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to molesting two girls.
Daniel Ray Metroka has been in jail since his arrest on June 30, 2007. On that day, Metroka and his wife were baby-sitting the two girls, 5 and 7 years old.
"There are no words that truly describe the betrayal we feel," stated a letter from their parents read by Deputy District Attorney Kelli Catlett. "Dan stole our children's innocence forever."
In the letter, the parents requested that he identify any other victims who may be deaf and have trouble communicating.
"We want Dan to know we will never live in peace," Catlett read from the letter.
Metroka, 52, had taught at the school since 1997. He also signed as a volunteer interpreter at St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church in Riverside. The school is one of two state-run schools for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
On Friday, Metroka pleaded guilty to four counts of committing a lewd or lascivious act. Chained and in an orange jumpsuit, he signed the "I love you" symbol to his family and friends as he was escorted out of the Riverside Hall of Justice courtroom.
He was facing life in prison but struck a deal for a 20-year sentence, said his defense attorney, Stephen Harmon.
"This is a man who has led a very good life," Harmon said. "But on one evening he made a terrible mistake. I admire him for taking responsibility for that, and he will certainly pay a very high price."
http://www.pe.com/localnews/rivcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_N_metroka12.48d7c94.html
By SONJA BJELLAND, The Press-Enterprise
A former California School for the Deaf Riverside teacher was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to molesting two girls.
Daniel Ray Metroka has been in jail since his arrest on June 30, 2007. On that day, Metroka and his wife were baby-sitting the two girls, 5 and 7 years old.
"There are no words that truly describe the betrayal we feel," stated a letter from their parents read by Deputy District Attorney Kelli Catlett. "Dan stole our children's innocence forever."
In the letter, the parents requested that he identify any other victims who may be deaf and have trouble communicating.
"We want Dan to know we will never live in peace," Catlett read from the letter.
Metroka, 52, had taught at the school since 1997. He also signed as a volunteer interpreter at St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church in Riverside. The school is one of two state-run schools for students who are deaf or hard of hearing.
On Friday, Metroka pleaded guilty to four counts of committing a lewd or lascivious act. Chained and in an orange jumpsuit, he signed the "I love you" symbol to his family and friends as he was escorted out of the Riverside Hall of Justice courtroom.
He was facing life in prison but struck a deal for a 20-year sentence, said his defense attorney, Stephen Harmon.
"This is a man who has led a very good life," Harmon said. "But on one evening he made a terrible mistake. I admire him for taking responsibility for that, and he will certainly pay a very high price."
http://www.pe.com/localnews/rivcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_N_metroka12.48d7c94.html
July 21, 2008
Glenn Keeton pleads guilty to lewd and lascivious acts
By KEVIN FLAHERTY
The Morning Sun, Pittsburg, KS
July 21, 2008
COLUMBUS, KS -- Glenn Keeton pled guilty Monday to one count of lewd and lascivious acts and one count of failure to register, just minutes before his jury trial was set to start.
The possible sentence for the lewd and lascivious charge runs from five months to 17 months, while the failure to register comes with a sentence from 31 months to 136 months.
At Keeton’s sentencing, set for Sept. 16, the judge could decide to run both sentences concurrently.
The decision came as a bit of a surprise, at least to the more than 50 potential jurors who sat waiting in the court room as the attorneys and Cherokee County Judge David Rogers worked in a separate room, prior to jury selection. Those potential jurors, who were asked to report at 8:30 a.m., were getting a bit restless when Rogers came in at 9:15 a.m. to tell them the attorneys were going through preliminary details before starting. He said the hopes were that they could put together a jury by noon.
It didn't take that long to close the trial. At about 10 a.m., Rogers re-entered the room.
"You know the saying 'All dressed up but no place to go?'" Rogers asked the crowd. 'We've just reached a plea deal."
Rogers then told the potential jurors they could leave.
Nola Wright, assistant attorney general, said the situation "was not unusual" in a case like Keeton's. Defense Attorney Gene Barrett declined to comment.
Keeton was set to have two separate trials this summer, one this week for aggravated indecent liberties with a child and lewd and lascivious behavior. The second was set for Aug. 18, where he would have faced four counts of failing to register as a sex offender, Wright said.
Keeton’s charges stemmed from his ownership of Glenn's Ready, Set, Go, a Pittsburg gymnastics facility. He was arrested in June 2007 after officials heard testimony from a 12-year-old Cherokee County female.
Because of the age of the girl, Keeton’s aggravated indecent liberties with a child would have come with a sentencing between 55 months and 247 months.
This is the second time charges have been brought against Keeton for indecent acts involving a child. Keeton was found guilty in a California court in 1993 of one count of lewd and lascivious behavior involving his 10-year-old daughter.
Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton said Keeton registered, as required by law, in Crawford County when he established his business, but the state of Kansas did not place him on their public sex offender list because he was not published publicly in California.
California later passed a law making the sex offender list public, but because it was not made retroactive, Keeton stayed off the public list.
http://www.morningsun.net/news/x1542097170/Keeton-enters-into-plea-deal
The Morning Sun, Pittsburg, KS
July 21, 2008
COLUMBUS, KS -- Glenn Keeton pled guilty Monday to one count of lewd and lascivious acts and one count of failure to register, just minutes before his jury trial was set to start.
The possible sentence for the lewd and lascivious charge runs from five months to 17 months, while the failure to register comes with a sentence from 31 months to 136 months.
At Keeton’s sentencing, set for Sept. 16, the judge could decide to run both sentences concurrently.
The decision came as a bit of a surprise, at least to the more than 50 potential jurors who sat waiting in the court room as the attorneys and Cherokee County Judge David Rogers worked in a separate room, prior to jury selection. Those potential jurors, who were asked to report at 8:30 a.m., were getting a bit restless when Rogers came in at 9:15 a.m. to tell them the attorneys were going through preliminary details before starting. He said the hopes were that they could put together a jury by noon.
It didn't take that long to close the trial. At about 10 a.m., Rogers re-entered the room.
"You know the saying 'All dressed up but no place to go?'" Rogers asked the crowd. 'We've just reached a plea deal."
Rogers then told the potential jurors they could leave.
Nola Wright, assistant attorney general, said the situation "was not unusual" in a case like Keeton's. Defense Attorney Gene Barrett declined to comment.
Keeton was set to have two separate trials this summer, one this week for aggravated indecent liberties with a child and lewd and lascivious behavior. The second was set for Aug. 18, where he would have faced four counts of failing to register as a sex offender, Wright said.
Keeton’s charges stemmed from his ownership of Glenn's Ready, Set, Go, a Pittsburg gymnastics facility. He was arrested in June 2007 after officials heard testimony from a 12-year-old Cherokee County female.
Because of the age of the girl, Keeton’s aggravated indecent liberties with a child would have come with a sentencing between 55 months and 247 months.
This is the second time charges have been brought against Keeton for indecent acts involving a child. Keeton was found guilty in a California court in 1993 of one count of lewd and lascivious behavior involving his 10-year-old daughter.
Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton said Keeton registered, as required by law, in Crawford County when he established his business, but the state of Kansas did not place him on their public sex offender list because he was not published publicly in California.
California later passed a law making the sex offender list public, but because it was not made retroactive, Keeton stayed off the public list.
http://www.morningsun.net/news/x1542097170/Keeton-enters-into-plea-deal
July 17, 2008
Christopher Lynn Koppe Faces 111 Child Sex Charges
WKMG
July 17, 2008
TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- A Titusville man accused in the sexual assault of a child is being held on a $3.7 million bond and faces 111 counts of sexual-related offenses.
Christopher Lynn Koppe, 40, was arrested Monday after he consented to a police interview at the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, said Cmdr. Stuart Otto of the Titusville Police Department. During the interview, he admitted to sexually-related contact with the child, Otto told Local 6 News partner Florida Today. Police said Koppe knew the victim.
Koppe is charged with two counts of committing a lewd and lascivious act upon a child under 16 years old, 104 counts of committing sexual act with a child, and five counts of sexual battery of a child under 12 years old. The sexual battery charges carry life prison sentences if convicted.
The girl approached a counselor at a summer camp and told about the abuse, which occurred over a seven-year period, Otto said. It escalated from lewd and lascivious molestation to sexual battery, he said.
Titusville police also conducted a search of Koppe's vehicle last week and collected related forensic evidence that is being analyzed now, Otto said.
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/16910095/detail.html
July 17, 2008
TITUSVILLE, Fla. -- A Titusville man accused in the sexual assault of a child is being held on a $3.7 million bond and faces 111 counts of sexual-related offenses.
Christopher Lynn Koppe, 40, was arrested Monday after he consented to a police interview at the Brevard County Sheriff's Office, said Cmdr. Stuart Otto of the Titusville Police Department. During the interview, he admitted to sexually-related contact with the child, Otto told Local 6 News partner Florida Today. Police said Koppe knew the victim.
Koppe is charged with two counts of committing a lewd and lascivious act upon a child under 16 years old, 104 counts of committing sexual act with a child, and five counts of sexual battery of a child under 12 years old. The sexual battery charges carry life prison sentences if convicted.
The girl approached a counselor at a summer camp and told about the abuse, which occurred over a seven-year period, Otto said. It escalated from lewd and lascivious molestation to sexual battery, he said.
Titusville police also conducted a search of Koppe's vehicle last week and collected related forensic evidence that is being analyzed now, Otto said.
http://www.clickorlando.com/news/16910095/detail.html
July 4, 2008
Travis Prill charged with lewd behavior
By The Chippewa Herald
July 4, 2008
A 41-year-old Bloomer man has been charged with lewd and lascivious behavior and disorderly conduct after he allegedly exposed himself in Irvine Park in May.
According to the complaint: Travis Prill, 1320 17th Ave., Bloomer, was in the park in his truck on the evening of May 18.
A woman and her daughter had seen Prill drive around the park, and later found his truck parked next to their vehicle. When the woman approached her vehicle, she noticed Prill’s passenger side window was open. She said hi and glanced into the truck to find Prill exposing himself.
The women wrote down a description of the truck and reported the incident to Chippewa Falls Police.
Police identified Prill as the owner of the truck. He admitted to being at the park and to exposing himself, however, he said he had exposed himself because he was putting cream on his psoriasis, which was acting up. An officer noted during an interview that Prill did have psoriasis.
The woman said she believes Prill intentionally exposed himself to her.
The police complaint stated Prill has a 1986 conviction for second degree sexual assault of a child, although that cannot be confirmed through online court records.
Prill is scheduled for an initial appearance July 15.
http://www.chippewa.com/articles/2008/07/05/news/doc486eaf83c2ff8357479044.txt
July 4, 2008
A 41-year-old Bloomer man has been charged with lewd and lascivious behavior and disorderly conduct after he allegedly exposed himself in Irvine Park in May.
According to the complaint: Travis Prill, 1320 17th Ave., Bloomer, was in the park in his truck on the evening of May 18.
A woman and her daughter had seen Prill drive around the park, and later found his truck parked next to their vehicle. When the woman approached her vehicle, she noticed Prill’s passenger side window was open. She said hi and glanced into the truck to find Prill exposing himself.
The women wrote down a description of the truck and reported the incident to Chippewa Falls Police.
Police identified Prill as the owner of the truck. He admitted to being at the park and to exposing himself, however, he said he had exposed himself because he was putting cream on his psoriasis, which was acting up. An officer noted during an interview that Prill did have psoriasis.
The woman said she believes Prill intentionally exposed himself to her.
The police complaint stated Prill has a 1986 conviction for second degree sexual assault of a child, although that cannot be confirmed through online court records.
Prill is scheduled for an initial appearance July 15.
http://www.chippewa.com/articles/2008/07/05/news/doc486eaf83c2ff8357479044.txt
July 2, 2008
Francisco Diaz Gutierrez sentenced to nearly 4 years prison for child molestation
SFGate.com
July 2, 2008
Santa Maria, CA (AP) -- A Los Alamos man will be sentenced to nearly four years in prison for molesting two underage sisters, including one who is disabled.
Francisco Diaz Gutierrez pleaded no contest to committing a lewd or lascivious act on a child under 14 in connection with the younger sister, and a count of a lewd or lascivious act on the 15-year-old sister.
The younger girl was 9 years old and her sister suffers from cerebral palsy.
Santa Barbara County Deputy District Attorney Stephen Foley says the 51-year-old Gutierrez will be sentenced Aug. 4 to three years and eight months in prison.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article/article?f=/n/a/2008/07/02/state/n053158D84.DTL
July 2, 2008
Santa Maria, CA (AP) -- A Los Alamos man will be sentenced to nearly four years in prison for molesting two underage sisters, including one who is disabled.
Francisco Diaz Gutierrez pleaded no contest to committing a lewd or lascivious act on a child under 14 in connection with the younger sister, and a count of a lewd or lascivious act on the 15-year-old sister.
The younger girl was 9 years old and her sister suffers from cerebral palsy.
Santa Barbara County Deputy District Attorney Stephen Foley says the 51-year-old Gutierrez will be sentenced Aug. 4 to three years and eight months in prison.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article/article?f=/n/a/2008/07/02/state/n053158D84.DTL
June 23, 2008
Zacariah Byrd arrested on lewd and lascivious acts charges
Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, CA
June 23, 2008
Zacariah Nathaniel Byrd, 19, of Country Club Court, Linda, was arrested by the Yuba County Sheriff's Department at 10:50 p.m. June 21 at his residents on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, penetration and unlawful sexual intercourse. He was booked into Yuba County Jail.
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/police_65471___article.html/blotter_compiled.html
June 23, 2008
Zacariah Nathaniel Byrd, 19, of Country Club Court, Linda, was arrested by the Yuba County Sheriff's Department at 10:50 p.m. June 21 at his residents on suspicion of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, penetration and unlawful sexual intercourse. He was booked into Yuba County Jail.
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/articles/police_65471___article.html/blotter_compiled.html
June 3, 2008
James Marzilli arrested on lewd behavior charge
Capital News 9
06/03/2008
BOSTON -- State Senator James Marzilli has been arrested on multiple charges, including lewd and lascivious behavior and resisting arrest, just weeks after prosecutors declined to charge him in another incident.
Lowell Police said the Arlington Democrat was arrested this afternoon after a brief foot chase. He was also charged with disorderly conduct, attempting to commit a crime, assault and battery, and obstruction of justice. He'll be arraigned tomorrow morning in Lowell District Court.
Prosecutors say Marzilli is accused of approaching a woman who was sitting on a park bench, making an "inappropriate comment" and attempting to touch her in a sexual manner. Marzilli allegedly gave police officers a false name when approached.
A woman in Arlington claimed last month that Marzilli touched her inappropriately, but prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to charge the lawmaker.
http://capitalnews9.com/content/headlines/117377/mass--state-senator-arrested-on-lewd-behavior-charge/Default.aspx
06/03/2008
BOSTON -- State Senator James Marzilli has been arrested on multiple charges, including lewd and lascivious behavior and resisting arrest, just weeks after prosecutors declined to charge him in another incident.
Lowell Police said the Arlington Democrat was arrested this afternoon after a brief foot chase. He was also charged with disorderly conduct, attempting to commit a crime, assault and battery, and obstruction of justice. He'll be arraigned tomorrow morning in Lowell District Court.
Prosecutors say Marzilli is accused of approaching a woman who was sitting on a park bench, making an "inappropriate comment" and attempting to touch her in a sexual manner. Marzilli allegedly gave police officers a false name when approached.
A woman in Arlington claimed last month that Marzilli touched her inappropriately, but prosecutors said there was insufficient evidence to charge the lawmaker.
http://capitalnews9.com/content/headlines/117377/mass--state-senator-arrested-on-lewd-behavior-charge/Default.aspx
May 17, 2008
Justin Sullivan sentenced to 45 months, given probation
By RICHARD PRIOR, The St. Augustine Record
Saturday, May 17, 2008
A St. Johns County man, whose confession to sexual battery was thrown out in 2006, pleaded to a lesser charge on Friday and was sentenced to 45 months in prison.
St. Johns Circuit Judge Wendy W. Berger also sentenced Justin Wade Sullivan, 20, to 10 years of sex-offender probation for lewd and lascivious battery on his victim, who was under 12 years old.
The judge warned him not to violate his probation. If he does, she said, he could face additional prison time.
Sullivan could have gotten 15 years in prison for the second-degree felony.
He was facing life without parole for the original charge of capital sexual battery on a person under 12.
http://staugustine.com/stories/051708/news_051708_021.shtml
Saturday, May 17, 2008
A St. Johns County man, whose confession to sexual battery was thrown out in 2006, pleaded to a lesser charge on Friday and was sentenced to 45 months in prison.
St. Johns Circuit Judge Wendy W. Berger also sentenced Justin Wade Sullivan, 20, to 10 years of sex-offender probation for lewd and lascivious battery on his victim, who was under 12 years old.
The judge warned him not to violate his probation. If he does, she said, he could face additional prison time.
Sullivan could have gotten 15 years in prison for the second-degree felony.
He was facing life without parole for the original charge of capital sexual battery on a person under 12.
http://staugustine.com/stories/051708/news_051708_021.shtml
May 5, 2008
Prosecutor: Videos Provide Evidence Against Thomas Beltran
KNBC News
May 5, 2008
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Prosecutors say there's videotaped evidence in the sexual molestation case against a Santa Monica middle school teacher.
"In the search warrant that was executed in this case we found the actual videos taken by Mr. Beltran," prosecutor Deputy District Attorney Robin Sax Katzenstein told Judge Keith Schwartz. "Here we have a case where virtually every female student that has come into contact with the defendant has had some sort of inappropriate touching, even by the defendant's own admission of being a huggy, touchy kind of person."
The announcement comes on the same day that the Los Angeles Times reported that Beltran was investigated, but not charged, for a similar crime in 2006. The newspaper reported that authorities said there was not enough evidence to charge Beltran in that case.
Outside court, the prosecutor described the video as "helping our investigation and corroborating some of the charges in this case."
Thomas Arthur Beltran, 60, has been charged with molesting five girls. The judge hiked his bail to more than $3 million on Tuesday, after Beltran pleaded not guilty to 14 criminal counts, including lewd acts on a child.
Beltra was arrested Saturday, a day after a 12-year-old girl at Lincoln Middle School, located at 1501 E. California St., told her parents that Beltran had molested her, according to Santa Monica police.
Beltran teaches English as a second language and has been at the school for 20 years.
Notices to parents were sent out Monday with information about the case.
http://www.knbc.com/news/16160985/detail.html
May 5, 2008
SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Prosecutors say there's videotaped evidence in the sexual molestation case against a Santa Monica middle school teacher.
"In the search warrant that was executed in this case we found the actual videos taken by Mr. Beltran," prosecutor Deputy District Attorney Robin Sax Katzenstein told Judge Keith Schwartz. "Here we have a case where virtually every female student that has come into contact with the defendant has had some sort of inappropriate touching, even by the defendant's own admission of being a huggy, touchy kind of person."
The announcement comes on the same day that the Los Angeles Times reported that Beltran was investigated, but not charged, for a similar crime in 2006. The newspaper reported that authorities said there was not enough evidence to charge Beltran in that case.
Outside court, the prosecutor described the video as "helping our investigation and corroborating some of the charges in this case."
Thomas Arthur Beltran, 60, has been charged with molesting five girls. The judge hiked his bail to more than $3 million on Tuesday, after Beltran pleaded not guilty to 14 criminal counts, including lewd acts on a child.
Beltra was arrested Saturday, a day after a 12-year-old girl at Lincoln Middle School, located at 1501 E. California St., told her parents that Beltran had molested her, according to Santa Monica police.
Beltran teaches English as a second language and has been at the school for 20 years.
Notices to parents were sent out Monday with information about the case.
http://www.knbc.com/news/16160985/detail.html
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