The Power to Harm: The accused

Over two years, 43 people were charged with 27,726 counts of child sex abuse. Seventeen were convicted and remained in prison when this series was originally published in February 1998. Four were acquitted.

1. April 4, 1994: Meredith Eugene Town. Charged with 14 counts of rape and molestation of seven children. Pleaded guilty to four counts of second-degree rape and molestation. Sentenced to 20 years in prison by Judge Carol Wardell.

2. April 5, 1994: Cherie Lee Town. Mentally retarded with an IQ of 73, arrested by Det. Bob Perez and charged with 110 counts of child rape involving six children. Pleaded guilty to two counts of rape. Sentenced to 10 years, one month in prison by Wardell.

3. May 19, 1994: Tracy Hockett. A foster child first considered a victim by CPS but later charged with child rape. Acquitted at trial.

4. May 26, 1994: Timothy Ray Durst. Charged with multiple counts of first-, second-and third-degree rape. Pleaded guilty to seven counts. Sentenced 23 years and four months in prison by Wardell.

5. May 26, 1994: Joyce Adele Durst. Worked in a nursing home. Charged with incest and complicity to child rape by Perez. Pleaded guilty to communication with a minor for immoral purposes. Sentenced to time served (69 days in jail) by Wardell.

6. June 10, 1994: Connie Jean Cunningham. A homemaker and mother of four, arrested by Perez on 66 counts of incest and child rape. Convicted on three counts of child rape, molestation and complicity based on her husband’s confession. Sentenced to 46 years in prison by Judge T.W. “Chip” Small. In May 1997 an appeals court overturned her conviction and she was released from prison after serving two years.

7. June 10, 1994: Henry Herman Cunningham. A state rehabilitation counselor, with a bipolar mental disorder controlled with medication. Arrested by Perez, he was charged with 900 counts of child rape and molestation. Pleaded guilty to 23 counts and is serving 47 years in prison after sentencing by Wardell.
Update: Conviction overturned in March 1999; released after nearly five years in prison.

8. July 8, 1994: Laura Rebecca Holt. Worked as a baby sitter. Arrested by Perez on 1,528 counts of child rape against three children. Pleaded guilty to eight counts of first-degree rape and sentenced to 40 years in prison by Judge John Bridges. Her three children remain in the care of the state.

9. August 2, 1994: Robert Morris Devereaux. A former California investment company CEO and foster father for more than 300 children, accused of 335 counts child rape and 335 counts of child molestation against two children. Witnesses recanted and felony charges were dismissed. Pleaded guilty to one count of witness tampering for warning someone that police were looking for him and one count of spanking. Bailed out of jail with money collected by some of his former foster children. Sentence of 30 days in jail was suspended by Small.

10. Sept. 15, 1994: Randall Neil Reed. Charged with five counts of child rape and molestation. Pleaded guilty to two counts of child molestation. Sentenced to six years in prison by Bridges.
Update: Released in October 1999.

11. Sept. 16, 1994: Doris Marie Green. Worked in orchards and as a fish processor in Alaska. Arrested by Perez on multiple counts of child rape and molestation against seven children. Convicted by a jury on three counts of rape and molestation. Sentenced to 23 years in prison by Wardell. Two of her children have been placed for adoption by CPS.
Update: Green's conviction was overturned in November 1999 and she was granted a new trial. However, prosecutors later said they would not retry her.

12. Sept. 20, 1994: Michael Edward Rose. Worked as a handyman and in the orchards. Arrested by Perez on 336 counts of child rape. Convicted by a jury on two counts. Sentenced to 23 years in prison by Wardell.

13. Sept. 24, 1994: Harold Everett. Unable to work, can neither read nor write and is mentally disabled. His two daughters, ages 10 and 11, were sent to live with Perez and became the principle accusers of scores of adults. Everett was arrested by Perez on 6,422 counts of rape against eight children. Pleaded guilty to eight counts of rape and molestation. Sentenced to 23 years in prison by Small. In December, the state Court of Appeals ordered that his case be reviewed to determine whether the state improperly influenced the testimony and statements of the two children allegedly raped.
Update: The appeals court reversed his conviction in September 1998 and prosecutors decided not to retry him. Everett is now free.

14. Sept. 25, 1994: Idella Everett. Unable to work, illiterate and mentally disabled. Mother of five. A court-appointed psychiatrist’s findings that she was far too developmentally retarded to aid in her defense was not introduced by her lawyer. Arrested by Perez on 1,586 counts of rape, 4,836 counts of aiding and abetting against 10 children. Pleaded guilty to two counts of child molestation. Sentenced to four years and eight months in prison by Small. In December, the Appeals Court ordered that her case be reviewed to determine whether the state improperly influenced the testimony and statements of the two children allegedly raped.
Update: The appeals court reversed his conviction in September 1998 and prosecutors decided not to retry her. Everett is now free.

15. Oct. 4, 1994: Jeannie Lorraine Bendt. Worked with elderly in nursing homes, has a ninth-grade education. Arrested by Perez on 1,860 counts of rape and 840 counts of molestation. Pleaded guilty to six counts of child molestation. Sentenced to 16 years in prison by Small. Her son has been placed for adoption by DSHS.

16. Oct. 4, 1994: Norberto Castaneda Macias. A foreman in the orchards. Arrested by Perez on 516 counts of child rape. All charges dismissed prior to trial.

17. Oct. 27, 1994: Kathryn Marlene Lancaster. Provided day care services. Arrested by Perez on multiple charges of child rape and molestation. All charges dismissed before trial.

18. Nov. 8, 1994: Justino Melendez Cruz. Orchard worker. Arrested by Perez on 1,660 counts of child rape and molestation. Cruz pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree assault and received a suspended sentence by Wardell.

19. Dec. 28, 1994: Carol Marie Doggett. She and her husband, Mark, had asked Child Protective Services and Perez for help with one of their sons who had molested one of their daughters. Neither agreed to help, but a week later, Perez arrested the Doggetts on 1,000 counts each of child rape. She was convicted of one count each of child rape and molestation and sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in prison by Wardell. In December 1997 the Appeals Court overturned the Doggetts’ conviction. Carol and Mark remain in prison waiting a decision on whether they will be retried.

20. Dec. 28, 1994: Mark Glenn Doggett. Full-time college student. Arrested by Perez on 1,000 counts of child rape. Convicted by a jury of one count each of child rape and molestation. Sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in prison by Wardell. Conviction overturned in December 1997.

21. Feb. 13, 1995: Donna Carol Hidalgo. Home health aid and orchard worker. Arrested by Perez on 416 counts of child rape of four half-siblings. Pleaded guilty to one charge of incest. Hildalgo was sentenced to 14 months in prison by Wardell. She served her time and was released.

22. Feb. 3, 1995: Jerome H. Buckley. Arrested by Perez on two counts of first-degree child rape. Jailed for 60 days then all charges dismissed before trial. Read followup story.

23. March 14, 1995: Donna Jean Rodriguez. Home health care provider. Arrested by Perez on 168 counts of rape against four children. All charges dismissed before trial.

24. March 24, 1995: Linda Miller. Arrested by Perez on 3,200 counts child rape involving eight children. She says her confession, which implicated several others, was coerced and fabricated by Perez. Convicted on eight counts of child molestation. Sentenced to 33 years in prison by Wardell. Conviction overturned June 1997, and a new trial ordered. She remains in prison, and her four children are still under state control.
Update: Miller was released in March 1998.

25. March 28, 1995: Robert Harlan Roberson. Pastor of the East Wenatchee Pentecostal Church and House of God. Arrested by Douglas County Deputy Sheriff David Helvey after he criticized the arrests and prosecutions of several of his church parishioners. He was charged with 56 counts of rape and molestation of six children. He and his wife, Connie, were acquitted by a jury whose foreman called the trial “a witch hunt.”

26. March 28, 1995: Connie Lee Roberson. Operated the East Wenatchee Pentecostal Church and House of God food bank. She was arrested by Douglas County Detective Robin Wagg on 30 counts of rape and molestation of five children. Connie Lee Roberson was acquitted.

27. April 7, 1995: Lawrence Eugene Steinborn. Accountant and bookkeeper. Linda Miller’s former husband was arrested by Perez and charged with eight counts of rape of a child. Steinbom pleaded guilty to one count of child molestation. Sentenced to 68 months by Judge Carol Wardell.

28. April 12, 1995: William Garland Davis Jr.. Warehouse worker and church bus driver. Davis was arrested in Douglas County. Charged with two counts of rape of a child and two counts of molestation. The charges against Davis were dismissed before trial.

29. April 17, 1995: Johnny Dale Nichols. Arrested by Wenatchee Detective Mike Magnotti. Nichols was charged with one count of third-degree child molestation. His sentence was suspended by Judge John Bridges.

30. April 18, 1995: Manuel Hidalgo Rodriguez. Orchard worker. Arrested by Detectives Perez and Magnotti on five charges of first-degree child rape and five charges of child molestation. Convicted on one count of molestation. Sentenced to five years and six months in prison by Wardell. New charges filed against him one day before trial. The lawyer chosen to defend Hidalgo was hired as a county prosecutor the week after his trial. An attempt to appeal in March 1997 was unsuccessful. Hidalgo remains in prison. Full story.
Update: Hidalgo's conviction was overturned in December 1999 by the state Court of Appeals, which granted him a new trial.

31. April 21, 1995: Edward Lyle Knowles, Jr.. Arrested by Wenatchee police and charged with rape and molestation. Charges dismissed before trial due to lack of evidence.

32. April 21, 1995: Kerri Ann Knowles. Mentally handicapped. Arrested by Perez on 2,437 counts of incest, molestation and the rape of 12 children. All charges dismissed before trial.

33. April 25, 1995: Pamela Lee Kimble. Bookkeeper. Arrested by Perez on 999 counts of first-degree child rape. Charges dismissed.

34. May 3, 1995: Gary Elbert Filbeck. Can neither read nor write and has an IQ of 71. Previously convicted for sexual assault. Perez arrested him on multiple counts of first-degree child rape against nine children. Filbeck confessed and cut a deal with prosecutors to testify against others, and he pleaded guilty to second-degree assault without prison time by Small.

35. May 3, 1995: Scharl Ann Filbeck. Arrested by Magnotti and charged with multiple counts of rape against eight children. In return for testifying against others, she got the same deal as her husband and was convicted of one count of child molestation and was sentenced to five years in prison, but Small suspended the prison time. She said that she was pressured into fabricating the accusations against others.

36. May 3, 1995: Sadie May Hughes. Severely mentally retarded. Arrested by Perez and charged with multiple counts of rape and molestation of 10 children. She pleaded guilty to one count of child molestation. Sentenced to five years and eight months in prison by Bridges. She was released with time served.

37. May 4, 1995: Edward Lyle Knowles, Sr.. He was arrested by Wenatchee police on multiple charges of child rape. Knowles was released the next day with all charges dismissed.

38. May 22, 1995: Honnah L. Sims. Bakery manager and Sunday school teacher. Arrested by Douglas County Detective David Helvey on 12 counts of child rape and molestation. He was acquitted.

39. June 16, 1995: Lawrence D. Catcheway. Worked as a carpenter. Arrested by Perez on 13 counts of child rape and four counts molestation. Catcheway pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree child rape. Sentenced to 16 years and two months by Wardell.

40. July 9, 1995: Barbara Ann Garass. Arrested by Perez on eight counts of child rape and molestation. Pleaded guilty to reduced charges of two counts of incest. Sentenced to 26 months in prison by Bridges. Her four children are still in foster homes. Served sentence and released.

41. July 9, 1995: Ralph Vernon Gausvik. Unemployed. Lived with Barbara Garass. Arrested by Perez on 30 counts of child rape and molestation. Convicted on three counts of child rape and three counts of molestation. Sentenced to 23 years in prison by Wardell.

42. Aug. 24, 1995: Susan Ann Everett. Niece of Harold Everett. Arrested by Perez on multiple charges of child rape and molestation. Pleaded guilty to charges of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. Sentenced to one year in jail by Bridges. Sentence suspended.

43. Aug. 24, 1995: Karen Reney Lopez. Arrested by Perez on five counts of child rape and molestation. All charges dismissed before trial.

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IN THIS SECTION
· Introduction · History · The Case · The Investigator · The Therapy · The Children · The Accused · The Advocates · The Context · The Probe · The Aftermath · Editorials · Reactions

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