Local News

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Thursday, August 21, 2008 Oak Harbor babysitter denied bail after calling alleged sex abuse victim By Diana Hefley Herald Writer OAK HARBOR – A judge revoked bail for an Oak Harbor babysitter accused of molesting at least 10 children after the man called at least one of the alleged victims from jail. The man, 21, was ordered held until trial. He is charged with 30 counts of child rape and molestation involving boys and girls, ages 3 to 12. In an emergency hearing yesterday, prosecutors said the man spoke to one child from jail. The conversation was recorded. Also the man is accused of writing letters to three of the alleged victims and their parents. The letters were sent from the Island County Jail to the suspect’s sister. She allegedly delivered letters to at least two families, prosecutors said. The man was ordered yesterday not to make any calls from jail except to his attorney. He also was ordered not to contact with the alleged victims, their parents or the church pastors. The defendant and some of the victims’ families all attended the same church in Oak Harbor. There are no allegations that the sexual assaults happened at the church, Island County Prosecutor Greg Banks said. The sexual assaults happened as early as June 2007, Banks wrote. Police were alerted to the allegations after three children began talking about the “nasty things” the man was doing to them. One child told a parent and eventually 10 children disclosed that the man had touched them, court documents show. The man allegedly told detectives he knew what he was doing to the children was wrong so he’d apologize after raping and molesting them, Banks wrote. Detectives continue to investigate. If convicted of all the charges, the man faces at least 20 years in prison and up to life behind bars, Banks said.

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