|
Resources:
Conviction List: |
Ritual Abuse, Ritual Crime
|
|---|---|
 |
|
Please note that this list was compiled and copyrighted by "Believe the Children" in 1997.
It has not been updated since then.
Conviction List: Ritual Child Abuse (continued)
Copyright © 1997. Believe The Children
Canton
Estella M. Sexton, 47, mother of 12 children, was convicted April 15,
1994, of sexually, physically and psychologically abusing her
daughter. The charges relate to abuse that occurred five years ago
when the daughter was eight years old. The girl testified that her
mother beat her, stripped her and sexually fondled her. An older
brother corroborated her story of abuse and described satanic rituals
that took place in the home.
Sexton's older daughter, Estella M. "Pixie" Good, 24, pleaded guilty earlier in 1994 to manslaughter in the death of her baby. She told authorities she smothered the baby after her father complained about the baby's crying. (Knox, 1994).
Mansfield
Two teenage babysitters at the First Presbyterian Church were
convicted of sexually abusing children while the victims' parents
attended church services. Lawrence Rohde, 19, was convicted in 1992
on 7 counts of gross sexual imposition and sentenced to 14 years in
prison. (Boyd, 1992). Scott Butner, 17, pleaded guilty to 5 counts of
rape and received a 5 to 10-year prison sentence. (Trexler,
1992).
As many as 50 children described being sexually abused and taken from the church to wooded areas where they said they were forced to participate in child pornography, infanticide, and mutilation of corpses. Victims' parents demanded that charges be filed against adult church members who allegedly were involved, but only Rohde and Butner were indicted. (Hobbs, 1992).
Roseburg
Ed Gallup, Sr., Mary Lou Gallup and their son, Ed "Chip" Gallup, Jr.,
who together ran three Gallup Christian Day Care Centers, were
accused by over a hundred children of sexual molestation and ritual
child abuse. Children described animal killings, pornography, and
sexual abuse performed by adults wearing robes.
Ed "Chip" Gallup, Jr. was convicted on three charges of child sexual abuse involving two children. Ed Gallup, Sr., a Nazarene minister, was convicted on the testimony of a 5-year-old girl.
In November, 1989, Mary Lou Gallup's conviction was reversed because of a discovery violation.**
Ed Gallup, Sr. and Ed "Chip" Gallup, Jr. are serving life terms.
Memphis
Frances Lucindy Ballard, a teacher's aide at Georgia Hills Early
Childhood Center, was convicted in 1987 on one count of aggravated
sexual battery and sentenced to five years in prison.
Nineteen children had initially accused her of sexual assault in June 1984, with allegations including satanic rituals, death threats, and animal sacrifice.
In February 1991, Ballard's conviction was overturned on grounds that one of several videotapes depicting police interviews with children had been taped over, and thus erased, before it could be viewed by the defense. Her other complaints, including allegations that the children had been brainwashed, were described by the court as "meritless."** (Newton, 1996).
Austin
Frances and Daniel Keller, operators of Fran's Day Care Center, were
convicted in 1992 of aggravated sexual assault of a 3-year-old girl.
The Kellers were sentenced to 48 years in prison.
Three children made allegations of abuse that included references to being buried alive with animals, painting pictures with bones dipped in blood, being shot and resurrected, digging up a body in a cemetary and nailing it together, having giant germs implanted in their bodies, and making pornographic movies at gunpoint. (Gamino, 1992).
El Paso
Two teachers at the YMCA day-care center were convicted of sexually
abusing children in El Paso, Texas. Michelle Noble, 34, was convicted
in March 1986 on 18 counts of molestation and sentenced to life plus
311 years in prison. Gayle Stickler Dove, 40, was convicted in
October 1986, on 6 counts of child abuse and sentenced to three life
terms plus 60 years.
Two boys and five girls described abuse that included sexual assault, child pornography, spankings with a plastic tennis racket, and occult-type ritual activities by adults dressed in robes and monster costumes.
Noble's conviction was overturned in 1987 when an appeals court decided that allowing children to testify on videotape violated the defendant's right to confront her accusers.** Several witnesses withdrew from the case, and without their testimony, Noble was acquitted at her second trial in April 1988.
Gayle Dove was granted a new trial in March 1987, after her conviction had been set aside on appeal due to an allegation of jury misconduct.** At her second trial, she was convicted on a single count of aggravated battery and sentenced to 20 years. In 1989, her second conviction was overturned on the grounds that three children should have testified in person, rather than on videotape.** In April 1990, prosecutors declined to try her a third time, citing the reluctance of the victims' parents to put their children through the ordeal of another trial. (Newton, 1996).
Lehi
Alan B. Hadfield was convicted on seven counts of "sodomizing and sexually
molesting" two of his children (Salt Lake Tribune, 1988) in a case in which
as many as 40 adults in the community were implicated as perpetrators of satanic
ritual abuse (Salt Lake Tribune, 1987). No other charges were filed.
Richmond
In 1984 two children, ages 7 and 5, were removed from their home due
to allegations that they had been sexually abused by their mother and
her boyfriend. The children said they were forced to witness the
murder of a 12-year-old girl during a cult ritual. The mutilated body
of 12-year-old Jessica Hatch was discovered in a remote area of
Hanover County. She had disapeared on February 5, 1984, while walking
to her grandmother's house.
Police found candles and occult paraphernalia, but said the children "would freeze up... we couldn't tell whether they were telling the truth or fantasizing." (Ross, 1986). The children were ruled incompetent to testify and the sexual abuse charges were dismissed.
Gary Jay Beattie, 28, a convicted "peeping Tom" and friend of the other two suspects, was arrested for making indecent proposals to a 9-year-old girl and two 13-year-old girls. All three girls knew Jessica Hatch and said that Beattie had also propositioned her. Beattie was acquitted of accosting the 9-year-old, but entered a plea bargain on outstanding sex charges involving the 13-year-old victims. His 5-year prison sentence was suspended.
In 1988 Beattie was arrested again on multiple charges of voyeurism. At his first trial in July 1988, he was sentenced to 60 days and a $500 fine. He received a 3-year prison term in the second trial. A third trial in October 1988 resulted in a mistrial because one of the jurors was related to a police officer who investigated the case. A retrial was held in December 1988, and Beattie was convicted on a misdemeanor charge, with a 12-month jail term suspended.
In September 1991, while still on probation, Beattie was arrested on new voyeurism charges.
No one has ever been charged with murdering Jessica Hatch, but local newspapers referred to Beattie as the "closest thing to a suspect." County authorities cited a "strong possibility" that Jessica Hatch was killed in a satanic ritual. (Times-Dispatch and News Leader, 1988-1991).
Thurston County
Paul R. Ingram, a sheriff's deputy, confessed in 1988 to sexually
abusing two of his daughters in the context of satanic rituals.
Ingram pleaded guilty to six counts of third-degree rape and was
sentenced to 220 years in prison.
Later, he attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming he had been coerced and had confessed while in a "trance-like state" to crimes he never committed. In September 1992, the Washington State Supreme Court rejected Ingram's motion to withdraw his guilty plea. (Wright, 1993).
Wenatchee
Five adults were convicted and 11 pleaded no contest in a child
sex-ring investigation involving 48 child victims.
Selid Holt, 34, was convicted and sentenced to 14 years in prison; Michael Rose, 26, was convicted on 5 counts of child rape and molestation and sentenced to 23 years; Doris Green, 34, who confessed and then recanted her statement, was convicted at trial and sentenced to 23 years; Randall Reed, 43, pleaded guilty on two counts of child molestation and was sentenced to 80 months; Meredith Town, 37, an ex-convict who pleaded no contest on 62 counts of child rape and 4 counts of indecent liberties, was sentenced to 18 years and 4 months; Cherie Town (Meredith Town's wife), also pleaded nolo contendere and was sentenced to 10 years; Harold and Idella Everett both pleaded guilty to molesting their own children, with Harold sentenced to 23 years and Idella to 4 1/2 years. (Newton, 1996).
Child victims referred to the offenders as "The Circle" and described being sexually assaulted and "swapped" in orgies that allegedly took place at a Pentecostal Church. (Sunde, 1995).
Despite defendants' criticism of the investigation, a review by the U.S. Justice Department found no evidence that defendants' civil rights were violated. (Sex Crimes Digest, 1996).
Prescott, Ontario
Approximately 50 adults were convicted or pleaded guilty in a child
sex ring involving over 100 children.
Children described being abused in a basement by adults wearing masks and sheets. They said they were raped, cut with knives, forced to drink blood, and locked in a "dungeon" with a trap door. (Miller, 1995).
A multi-disciplinary team of social workers, prosecutors and police investigating the case took the code name "Project Jericho" to honor Joshua, a baby witnesses say was killed. (Steed, 1994).
Martensville, Saskatchewan
Travis Sterling, 25, was convicted in February, 1994, on eight
charges of sexual and physical abuse of children at his parents'
unlicensed day care home. Sterling was sentenced to five years in
prison.
Travis Sterling and his parents, Ron and Linda Sterling, were among nine people, including five police officers, arrested on more than 150 child abuse charges. Seven child witnesses testified to abuse that included sexual assault, unlawful confinement and anal intercourse. Weapons, a vibrator and pornographic magazines were found in the Sterling home.
In addition to Travis Sterling, a 22-year-old woman who can not be identified because she was a minor at the time of her offenses, was convicted in 1993 on seven child abuse counts. (Wattie, 1994).
Nottingham
Twenty-five children were removed from an extended family and taken
into foster care following disclosures of incest and ritual child
abuse. In February, 1989, nine adults were sentenced for up to 10
years in prison after pleading guilty to 53 charges of incest,
cruelty and indecent assault. The children described being abused by
adults wearing costumes, being forced to eat excrement and drink
blood, and witnessing the killing of animals and babies. (Tate,
1991).
Amsterdam
Rene Osterwalder, 38, and his girlfriend, Agostina Schonenberger, 21,
were convicted in February 1994 of illegal weapons charges and
attempted child abduction. Schonenberger testified that Osterwalder
had planned to abduct children, torture them to death in his
apartment, and dump their bodies into an aquarium filled with
piranhas.
Because the abductions apparently had not been carried out, Osterwalder was sentenced to only 2 years in prison; Schonenberger was sentenced to 6 months. However, they were ordered to serve their sentences in Switzerland, where they face more serious charges of child torture and sexual abuse.
Police found the following evidence in a search of the couple's
residences:
: * Six videotapes showing Osterwalder abusing three children ranging
in age from 6 months to 12 years old. The children were given
electric shocks, held under water and resuscitated, and abused with
feces and needles;
* Two tanks of hydrochloric acid in Switzerland and an aquarium with
piranhas in Amsterdam. (Osterwalder owned two homes in Amsterdam; one
was a former satanic church);
* A fully equipped torture chamber in Switzerland;
* Gynecological equipment, including a culposcope, speculum and
extractor;
* Professional video equipment;
* An Uzi rifle with laser visor, hundreds of bullets, two
wristweapons and a shooting pen; and
* Luggage with air openings, hand cuffs, and gags.
Osterwalder admitted he was a pedophile but insisted he had no plan to kidnap children. (Jonker, 1993 and Newton, 1996)
Christchurch
Peter Hugh McGregor Ellis, 35, a former day care employee, was
convicted June 5, 1993, on 16 counts of sexual abuse relating to
seven children. Ellis was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Children who attended Christchurch Civic Creche described bizarre sexual abuse with references to frightening rituals. The children allege they were removed from the day care facility and transported to other locations, including a cemetary and a Masonic lodge, where they were abused by adults dressed in black and white and wearing masks. In addition to their reports of being used for pornographic purposes, the children described being abused within a circle; chanting and participating in mock marriages; being tied up and confined in cages and boxes buried beneath the ground; being penetrated with needles and sticks; witnessing the torture and killing of animals; being drugged; being forced to hurt other children; having blood poured over their heads; and consuming what they believed was human flesh.
In addition to convictions other evidence has surfaced verifying the existence of ritual abuse of children. Several case examples are given below:
On March 1, 1991, FBI agents arrested three men suspected of running a major child pornography ring. The three men charged were Wayne H. Bailey, 56, of Fairhaven, RI, an audio technician for a Providence, RI television station; Brian K. Schultz, 44, a Barrington, NH man who allegedly reproduced child pornography under the name "New England Video Exchange"; and Mark Colen, 44, from Brooklyn, CT, who headed a company that reproduced and distributed alleged pornographic films.
Law enforcement officials said videotapes recovered in searches of the men's homes and businesses depicted pregnant women being tortured, children being molested by adults, young women engaged in sexual activities with animals, children urinating on each other and ingesting human feces, and various bizarre sex acts with "satanic" overtones. Some of the children were as young as six years old. (Ford, 1991 and Gaines, 1991).
A police raid of a home and warehouse connected to the commune known as "The Finders" resulted in the seizure of "several bags of evidence reportedly containing photographs, computer records and other documents." (Cawley, 1987). A customs agent investigating the case noted that the documents "revealed detailed instructions for obtaining children for unspecified purposes." (Tamarkin, 1994).
The customs agent's report listed the following evidence:
"One telex specifically ordered the purchase of two children in Hong Kong. Other files referred to The Finders activities and members in foreign countries. And there was a large amount of data collected on various childcare organizations."
"In one area of the warehouse, according to the investigator's report, there appeared to be an altar. Jars of urine and feces were located nearby. The search warrants also turned up nude photos of children with their genital areas accented and 'on display.' An album cotained a series of photos of adults and children dressed in white sheets and participating in the execution, disembowelment, skinning and dismemberment of goats. One photo showed the testes of a male goat being removed. Another showed a crying child looking at a decapitated goat. In fact, the goat's head and goat skins were removed by Virginia state police during a search of a farm belonging to The Finders group." (Tamarkin, 1994).
Despite the urgings of the customs agent and several U.S. Representatives, The Finders case was dropped "like a hot rock." (Wilkin, 1993).
Authorities are investigating a possible link between Belgium's child sex and murder scandal and a self-styled Satanic Order of Abrasax. Police seized 500 video cassettes believed to show hard-core child pornography, computer discs, two human skulls and jars of animal blood. (Sunday Express, 1997 and Sunday Times, 1996)
Police in Finland discovered a "massive computer library of child pornography that included pictures of torture, mutilation, and cannibalism." The owner of the child pornography was not arrested because distributing hard-core child pornography is a minor offense in Finland. (World, 1996.)
Allegood, J. (1991). "Abuse trial opens." The News & Observer,
August 20.
"Child, 5, alleges more abuse at trial." The News & Observer,
August 27.
"Mother says son told her of satanic chants at center." The News
& Observer, Sept. 11.
Allegood, J. (1993). "Jurors convict Rascals cook." The News & Observer, Jan. 27.
Allegood, J. (1994). "No contest plea in Little Rascals child-sex case." The News & Observer, January 22.
"Arkansas teen faces death sentence in murder of 3 boys." Chicago Tribune, March 20, 1994.
Beifuss, J. (1994). "Misskelley guilty in boys' slayings." The Commercial Appeal, February 5.
Boyd, B. (1992). "Rohde guilty on 7 counts." News Journal, March 18.
Cawley, Janet. (1987) "2 cult children show signs of sex abuse," Chicago Tribune, February 9.
"Child abuser gets 12 life sentences." (1992). Chicago Tribune, April 24.
"Child Exploitation," World (USA Today), September 7, 1996, p. 10.
"Child molester gets 40 years in Minnesota case." (1985), Chicago Tribune, January 19.
Crewdson, J., Emmerman, L. and Ogintz, E. (1984) "Sexual abuse case continues to haunt town in Minnesota." Chicago Tribune, December 16.
"Dad says girl was chained to restrict her self-abuse." Flint Journal, March 21, 1994.
"Day-care owner guilty on 99 child abuse counts." (1992). Chicago Tribune. April 23.
"Discovery of bound girl confirms many suspicions." Flint Journal, February 19, 1994.
Eisley, M. (1993). "Woman loses gamble in sex abuse plea bargain." The News & Observer, July 6.
Emmerman, L. (1984). "Charges of child sex-abuse ring rock town." Chicago Tribune, August 27.
Emmerman, L. (1984). "Witness recants sex-ring story." Chicago Tribune.
"Fells Acre Day-Care: Amiraults May Return to Prison." The Survivor Activist (14), Vol. 5, No. 1, Spring, 1997.
Ford, Beverly. (1991). "Parents eye porn-ring link." The Boston Herald, March 11.
Ford, Beverly. (1991). "Cape parents want porn case reopened." The Boston Herald, March 18.
"Former Critic Reverses, Says 'The System Worked,'" Sex Crimes Digest, 1996.
Gaines, Judith. (1991). "Three Men Charged With Running N.E. Child Pornography Ring." The Boston Globe, March 2.
Gamino, D. and P. Ward. (1992). "Garden of horror." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dec. 20.
Hobbs, M.A. (1992). "Tales of satanism divide Mansfield." The Plain Dealer, November 29.
Hollingsworth, J. (1986). Unspeakable Acts. Chicago: Congden and Weed.
Hubert, C. (1989). "Day-care abuse stuns Iowa town." Daily Herald, December 4.
Jonker, F. and Jonker-Bakker, P. (1993). "Actuality in the Netherlands," European Network for Backlash Research Newsletter Number 2, December.
"Judge orders couple to trial on charges of child abuse." Flint Journal, 1994.
Kelley, M. "Ritual child-abuse allegations draw attention to Danville case." The Associated Press, January 27, 1997.
Knox, D. (1994). "Sexton mother guilty of abuse." Akron Beacon Journal, April 15.
Kraft, B. P.. (1996). "Ex-Satanist to Serve 9 Years on Sex Charges." Clarion-Ledger.
"Little Rascals case reopened." (1996). The News & Observer, April 30.
"Man convicted of luring boys to sex rituals." (1989). The News & Observer, August 27.
McCullers, L.C. (1994). "Case overview." July 14.
Miller, J. (1995). "Walls came a' tumbling." Winnipeg Free Press, April 3.
"Molestation case," Northwest Herald, August 14, 1996.
"Murder suspect linked to Satanism." Chicago Tribune, June 6, 1993.
"Murders of 8-year-olds reportedly a cult ritual." Chicago Tribune, June 8, 1993.
New York Law Journal. (1992). January 16.
New York Times. ( 1985 - 1987).
News Leader, May, 1988 - September 1991.
Newton, M. (1996) Guilty As Charged. Presentation at the International Council on Cultism and Ritual Trauma Conference, April 12-14, Dallas, Texas.
"No contest plea in Little Rascals child-sex case." (1994). The News & Observer, Jan. 22.
Ogintz, E. (1984). "Dropping of sex cases investigated," Chicago Tribune, October 17.
"Pair guilty of abuse in chaining girl to bed." Flint Journal, October 21, 1994.
"Parole denied for Little Rascals co-owner." (1994). The News & Observer, April 16.
Perrusquia, M. and B. Sullivan. (1993). "Occult publications draw scrutiny in triple slayings." The Commercial Appeal, September 29.
"Prosecutors sued." (1996), Chicago Tribune, June 16.
Quillin, M. (1994). "Little Rascals defendant pleads no contest, will go free." The News & Observer, June 17.
Richissin, Todd. (1995). "Rascals convictions overturned." The News & Observer, May 3.
Ross, A.S. (1994). "Blame it on the Devil." Redbook, June, 86-89, 110, 114, 116.
Ross, A.S. (1986). "Sensational cases across the country." San Francisco Examiner, September 29.
Salt Lake Tribune, January 13, 1988.
Salt Lake Tribune, December 16, 1987.
"Satanic Link Feared in the search for young victims." Sunday Express, January 12, 1997.
"Satanic Links to Belgian Murder Trail." Sunday Times, December 29, 1996.
"Sentencing ends child abuse ordeal." (1994). The Atlanta Journal/The Atlanta Constitution, June 21.
S.O.A.R. Newsletter, Vol. 6, No. 6, May/June, 1997.
Soloway, C. (1992). "Raleigh man sentenced to 3 life terms for abuse." The News & Observer, October.
"Son comes to parents' defense in child-sex trial." (1984), Chicago Tribune.
Steed, J. (1994). Our Little Secret: Comfronting Child Sexual Abuse in Canada. Toronto: Random House.
Sullivan, B. (1994). "Prosecutors seek to link occult in 3 boys' deaths." The Commercial Appeal, March 8.
Sullivan, B. (1994). "Witness: Baldwin said he tasted boy's blood." The Commercial Appeal, February 5.
Sullivan, B. (1994). "Echols gets death; Baldwin spared." The Commercial Appeal, March 20.
Tamarkin, Civia (1994). "Investigative Issues in Ritual Abuse Cases, Part II." Treating Abuse Today, 4(5), 5-9.
Tate, T. (1991). Children for the Devil: Ritual Abuse and Satanic Crime. London: Methuen.
"Teacher's molestation conviction overturned." (1993), Chicago Tribune, March 27.
Thompson, E. "Charges dropped in massive sex case." The Associated Press, May 24, 1997.
Times-Dispatch, May 1988 - September 1991.
Trexler, P. (1992). "Butner pleads guilty." News Journal, February 21.
"2 teens convicted in slayings of 3 Arkansas boys." Chicago Tribune, March 19, 1994.
"21 to tell of abuse at school." (1989). The Orlando Sentinel, April 5.
Wattie, C. (1994). "Child-abuser gets bail in Martensville case." The Gazette (Montreal), February 10.
"Witch charged with sexually assaulting boy." The News-Times, August 2, 1996.
"Witch trial." Northwest Herald, August 22, 1996 and October 13, 1996.
Witkin, Gordon and Peter Cary. (1993). "Through a glass, very darkly." U.S. News & World Report, December 27.
Wright, L. (1993). "Remembering Satan." The New Yorker.
* Because ritual abuse allegations often are not disclosed in courtroom proceedings, this list represents only a portion of convictions where ritual child abuse is a factor.
** A conviction is overturned on appeal when the appellate court finds that the defendant was denied a fair trial due to a legal error. Granting an appeal for a new trial does not constitute a ruling that the crime for which the defendant was originally tried could not have been committed.
To make a comment or suggestion, write rahome@ra-info.org
|
