BURLINGTON, Vt. — A 14-year-old witness told investigators a missing Vermont girl’s uncle brought the girl to his home to initiate her into a child sex ring, federal officials said in an affidavit released Wednesday.
The 14-year-old told authorities she helped Michael Jacques, the missing girl’s uncle, take the 12-year-old to Jacques’ Randolph home on June 25 to be initiated into the ring. The 12-year-old has not been seen since then.
The 14-year-old girl, a relative of Jacques, said she understood that as part of the initiation, the 12-year-old “would have sex with adult males,” according to the affidavit in U.S. District Court.
The girl said she and the 12-year-old watched television for a while before Jacques told her to leave and took the girl upstairs. The witness said she left the house with her boyfriend and did not see the girl again.
The 14-year-old said she herself had been sexually assaulted by Jacques, 42, since she was 9.
The Associated Press identified the missing girl prior to the assault allegations, but is no longer naming her because it does not generally identify people who are alleged victims of sexual assault.
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