BETHEL, Vt. — The body of a missing 12-year-old Vermont girl was found Wednesday buried near her uncle’s home, hours after documents surfaced that accused the man of planning to initiate her into a child sex ring.
Brooke Bennett’s body was found about 4:45 p.m., about a mile from her uncle’s house, said State Police Director Col. James Baker. Police who had been searching the uncle’s property noticed the ground was disturbed and found her body buried underneath.
The girl’s uncle, Michael Jacques, who has been in custody since Sunday on sexual assault charges involving another underage girl, is to be charged in federal court with kidnapping, police Sgt. Tara Thomas said.
Earlier Wednesday, in an affidavit unsealed in U.S. District Court in Burlington, the FBI said an unidentified 14-year-old girl told investigators she was present on June 25 when Jacques, 42, tricked Bennett into thinking she was going to a party and took her to his Randolph home to be initiated into a sex ring.
Nebraska: Teacher pleads guilty
A former teacher pleaded guilty Wednesday to fleeing to Mexico with a 13-year-old student so she could have sex with him. Her plea was part of a deal to ensure she’ll spend less than a decade in federal prison.
Kelsey Peterson, 26, cried in court and shook her head when the prosecutor said she started having sex with the boy when he was 12 years old and a student at Lexington Middle School, where she taught.
The plea agreement calls for a sentence of at least 70 months in prison, up to a maximum of 87 months.
Massachusetts: Swindler in jail
A hedge fund swindler who set off a national manhunt when he faked his suicide to avoid reporting to prison rode his scooter to a small-town police station in Massachusetts on Wednesday and turned himself in while talking to his mother on his cell phone.
Prosecutors said Samuel Israel III and two other men scammed investors into putting $450 million into the hedge funds by announcing nonexistent profits and providing fake audits, and made millions in commissions on trades that lost money for the investors.
Ohio: Kroger expands beef recall
The Kroger Co. expanded its voluntary recall Wednesday of some ground beef products to its stores in more than 20 states, saying the meat may be contaminated with E. coli.
The Cincinnati-based company initiated a recall June 25 for Kroger stores in Michigan and in central and northern Ohio. The expanded recall includes ground beef sold at Fred Meyer, QFC, Ralph’s, Smith’s, Baker’s, King Soopers, City Markets, Hilander, Owen’s, Pay Less and Scott’s, with overlapping sell-by dates from mid-May through mid-July.
Consumers who have questions about the recall may contact Kroger toll-free at 800-632-6900 or online www.kroger.com/recalls.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
