This should concern every American that knows the facts of the Wenatchee case. The Unraveling Of A Monstrous Secret -- Sex-Abuse Scandal Has Wenatchee Reeling Jun 8, 1995 Marla Williams, Dee Norton IT BEGAN AS a case involving one man raping his two young boys. Perez said it was too late, that he was under arrest for suspicion of child rape. But until 1952, when Alcoa built a huge aluminum-manufacturing plant here, there wasn't much middle. A jury found him innocent of three charges, but could not reach a verdict on two others. Justice would have required someone within the system having the backbone to stand up and declare "This is wrong." Over the years, Attorney Perez has taken many cases to trial and has won unpredictable . Court documents said the girl had come from a wretched home; the house, on Cashmere Street, was crowded and filthy and desperately unhappy. I know what it is like to be a victim, to be sexually molested as a child," she said, wiping away tears. It is responsible for providing police service to an area encompassing 468 square miles and 21 community areas, representing approximately over 4 million residents as of 2022. His daughter, Michelle Valdez, confirmed his death to The Associated Press. The sheriff's office obtained search warrants and sought physical evidence, including samples of the carpet and sections of the rectory wall. Her statement implicated a slate of other adults, some of whom she now says she does not know. Twenty-four witnesses testified as to the facts of . Perez looked for Green; when the two finally connected by phone, Green's first question was "Is this about Laura Holt?" Ever since this page published details of the spree of child abuse prosecutions in the town of Wenatchee, Washington, readers have been calling . . The younger boy, located at school, gave a similar account. A few had histories of telling terrible lies. "But I was not willing to have my wife and 5-year-old son picked up, interrogated and God knows what . Bob Perez died a disgraced former detective in 2013. 2d 33 | Casetext Search + Citator", "Wenatchee Witchhunt on Dateline, November 1995", "Part I, b - Detective a man who charmed, harmed", "Robert Perez Police Department Evaluation", "Ex-Wenatchee sex crime detective Bob Perez dies", "Bob Perez, driving force in discredited sex abuse cases, dies | Local News", "Author Fights Sex-Ring Case Subpoena | the Spokesman-Review", "Writer Need Not Reveal Sources in Wenatchee Sex-Ring Cases | the Spokesman-Review", "Child sex ring book gets mixed reviews | Northwest", "One Brave Soul's Crusade for Truth About Wenatchee | the Seattle Times", "Wenatchee Witch Hunt and the Doggett Family", "Wenatchee Couple's Rape Conviction is Overturned | the Seattle Times", "State v. Carol M.D, 89 Wn. Plaintiffs' attorney James Beecher said Perez. Melinda Everett, now 28, a plaintiff in the sex-abuse case, lived for a brief time in the home of detective, Robert Perez, while he investigated the case. App. They had no idea, of course, of the difficulties that lay ahead; no hint of conspiracy; no clue that an incestuous ring of pedophiles, the likes of which has never been proved in this country, might be operating in Wenatchee. Most of the girls sent to the Devereauxs were victims of sexual abuse - some were withdrawn and frightened, others aggressive and angry. He wasn't halfway through the forms when a sheriff's deputy announced he was under arrest. None of the interviews, or the adults' confessions, was taped. 10/21/2004. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Devereaux's 15-year-old accuser was Glassen's responsibility, one of dozens of kids on his case list. Advertisement. On a sticky-hot July afternoon, about three months after the Towns were arrested, Perez knocked on Laura Holt's door. By this time, some children had recanted their accusations. Late one afternoon that September, Luci Perez sat down with her foster daughter. Legal Statement. I was with the District Attorneys Office in inner-city Atlanta for over a solid year, handling felonies in various capacities every single day, before I prosecuted a child molestation case ---much less allegations of this magnitude. 439 investigators, prosecutors, and defense counsel. . Police Officer Jose A. Perez 4/27/1994. She listed 22 locations. So when he started bragging, she picked up the phone and called the Rape Crisis Center. They awarded $3 million to a couple who had been wrongly accused in the inquiry,[5] but the state supreme court later upheld an appeals court ruling reducing this award to the Sims. Several are illiterate. Kinkade knows what it feels like to be charged with sexual abuse. Dwaine Hooten . The town was divided into two classes: those who owned the apple orchards and those who worked in them. . [12] After case worker Paul Glassen criticized the way that Perez interviewed the foster daughter of Robert Devereaux, he was arrested for "tampering with a witness", and later fled to Canada with his family. He claims that Perez is on a power trip, leading child witnesses into making false accusations and berating adults into confessions. They don't want to believe it. He alleged Perez was arrested for petty larceny in 1975, and cited for receiving unemployment benefits while enrolled in the Police Academy in 1983. The court also vacated orders dismissing Detective Robert Perez and Wenatchee Police Chief Kenneth Badgley, on the ground substantial justice required it. [4][5][6] Eventually all those accused in these cases were released,[7] and the authorities paid damages to some of those originally accused. Auxiliary Police Officer Milton S. Clarke Those who know but do not like him say he is a "manipulative monster.". Police Officer Sean A. McDonald 3/15/1994. The detective had completed 64 hours of special training in sex-crimes investigation; both he and his superiors were confident of his ability to handle just about any case. Rafael Perez: The Man Who Inspired Denzel Washington's Oscar-Winning Role. The family lived from welfare check to welfare check. Accompanied by two Child Protective Service workers, Perez returned to 610 Mission St. Then rumors surfaced that police were investigating him for child sexual abuse. When Ventura Police arrived to the 1500 block of Daffodil Avenue, they found 37-year-old Robert Perez had been stabbed once in the chest. Sometimes they would all meet at the Pentecostal Church of God House of Prayer in East Wenatchee, where Pastor Roby Roberson and his wife, Sister Connie, ministered to the poor and downtrodden. The second time, she climbed into bed with them. The investigation found that Perez coerced suspects, many poor and developmentally disabled, into making false confessions, and coached testimony from witnesses. On March 13, 1994, in what has become known as the "parade of homes," D.E. . . Two key victims were in Perezs foster care at the time. "I was willing to stand and fight," he said. [45], Washington Governor Mike Lowry requested a federal review,[2][44][46] but U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno declined to involve the national Justice Department in these cases. [72][73] The last lawsuit against the authorities in these cases was settled in 2009, with the children of Harold and Idella Everett, who initially made an Alford plea (pled no contest),[74] receiving $120,000. People who know and like Perez say he is a dedicated officer, that he is often stern but can be a "teddy bear" of a man. Detective Robert "Bob" Bachelder is originally from Portland, Maine where he worked as . The caseworker advised him to be patient. Do you feel it lends to the distrust of the justice department, or do you find theres some saving grace in the fact that, in the end, Perez was ultimately caught, and everyone accused, exonerated? It took years of mental health treatment for the case to proceed against Alan Dean in the killing of Melissa Lee. There were other arrests, including that, in March, of Donna Hidalgo, adult step-sister of Perez's foster child. The settlement brings to an end the three-year-old lawsuit, first filed in district court in 2011 and later moved to federal court. One of Denzel Washington's greatest roles is that of LAPD narcotics officer Detective Alonzo Harris in Training Day - Antoine Fuqua's 2001 crime thriller about two narcotics officers set over a 24-hour period in the gang-ridden neighbourhoods of the Rampart Division and . "My own father sexually abused me, the humiliation, the hell. The Los Angeles Police Department is one of the largest and most innovative law enforcement agencies in the world. As it is elsewhere, the haves and have-nots don't often mingle. [25][28], Grant said that three defendants were arrested shortly after sharing their criticism of these cases with him. They had moved from Oklahoma to Wenatchee in 1985, settling into a squat, rust-colored rental house with a narrow porch overlooking a tidy patch of grass, four lanes of traffic and a sprawling junk store with a 10-foot bull's-eye painted on an outside wall and the boast "2,000 GUNS.". [44] Some higher courts agreed, so those who were convicted were freed and had their convictions overturned or pleaded guilty on lesser charges. And then there were the statements of the Holt children. A few days later, Child Protective Services concluded that the allegations of sexual abuse were "unsubstantiated," adding that police investigators had found "nothing prosecutable." PEREZ Feb. 2000 99 Wn. (One soon ran away from Perez and recanted.) Overnight lane reductions are scheduled Monday through Thursday, with more disruptions ahead this month. [47][19] The FBI did not question anyone; instead they shipped Reno documents which she found "do not present evidence of prosecutable violations of federal civil rights law. The Devereauxs were warned there could be problems. Several of the accused claimed that their confessions were coerced. What kind of perception do you think a story like this leavesthe American people? National statistics suggest a fairly even incidence of child sexual abuse across social and economic classes. + Subscribe for $1 for the first month Detective Wayne H. Fortier; Grand Prairie Police Department, Texas. [22] Parents and Sunday school teachers were charged, and many were convicted of abusing children, often including their own, or their foster children. [11][27] Four months later they were each released on a reduced $12,500 bail to await trial. "[48] Other legal watchdogs such as the state Commission on Judicial Conduct and the ACLU declined to criticize these prosecutions. Cited in numerous civil suits still pending against the city of Wenatchee, Detective Robert Perez retired on disability. Some time later, she began "having fun" with her older, mentally disabled child. Tim Abbey, former Wenatchee-area administrator for the state Department of Social and Health Services' Division of Children and Family Services, said he and former police detective Robert Perez . Donna pointed out houses and buildings . The room's only memorable feature is an oversized Pink Panther that lounges at the desk of Detective Robert Perez, sex-crimes investigator. Her boyfriend rushed to the store parking lot in hopes of . The 1994 . Miller's confession was corroborated by her ex-husband, Larry Steinborn. Others compared the investigation to the Spanish Inquisition. in an attempt to cope with or explain the experience.". Most were investigated, some were not - the information lost in a shuffle of supervisors. [41][42] The judges had earlier asked for a visiting judge to investigate. On March 13, 1995, Perez put Donna in his police car with two social services caseworkers and they drove through Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. Shortly after midnight, Perez began questioning her; at 3:23 a.m., she signed a typed confession admitting to molesting numerous children. [6] Sixteen adults entered Alford pleas; most of these were poor or "functionally retarded". No! That did not happen. I thought to myself, `Oh God, what a mess,' and went straight to my supervisor," Glassen said. A. Perez kept asking if I hadn't seen this person and that person abuse the children. The older daughters, Melinda and Donna, were sent to live as foster children in the home of detective Robert Perez. It is about police and prosecutors and the public debate over proof beyond a shadow of a doubt. However, the allegations weren't true.. Emerson Linarez, 38, was shot and killed in a confrontation with a homeowner. There is no interrogation room, so officers question suspects at their desks, which are arranged in two short rows in a drab gray room. Sergeant Robert "Rob" Barrere is from Metairie, Louisiana just a few miles outside of Orleans Parish. The point? Detective Robert W. Williamson 5/13/2007. THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE FAKE SEX RING THAT CHANGED WENATCHEE FOREVERQ. If I were an investigator charged with investigating the cases today, Id do it exactly the same way, Perez said in 2004. "Wenatchee Witch Hunt" Detective Robert Perez Was Perez Dealt with properly by his employer? Nearly all the children interviewed by police came from impoverished, troubled homes. Seattle Times staff reporter Dee Norton contributed to this report. Phone: 805-986-6530. Wenatchee Police Detective Robert Perez tenaciously pursued his investigation into stories of sexual predators who victimized children - sometimes their own children. [79] Sadie Hughes (a.k.a. Miller was brought back to Wenatchee. And Idella, threatened with a beating from her husband, had held the children down, then molested them herself. Officially, they called them "pending cases," but Pulitzer . Emergency Phone: 911. He was also told that his 15-year-old accuser had recanted during a conversation with her caseworker, Paul Glassen. Only after reassurances and coaxing did the teenager reveal he had repeatedly been sodomized by his father. Per capita income remains lower, and unemployment and felony rates higher, compared to much of the rest of the state. 500 Park Ave West . The next day Devereaux was notified that his foster care license had been suspended. Justice isnt a task that ends, it is ongoing and those seeking it can never rest. "I have never been so terrified in my life. The Wenatchee disaster has created great distrust for law enforcement in general. It did not take long for Perez to get a confession from Idella Everett, who said her husband had threatened her if she did not go along with the abuse of the children. That was all Perez needed to hear; he put out a bulletin on Meredith Town. Unable to afford the $1,000,000 bail for each, they were held in jail where Robert was beaten. [60] This work formed the basis of Lyon's 1998 book, Witch Hunt: A True Story of Social Hysteria and Abused Justice. Q. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Many defendants were coerced into confessing by the same detective. But not everyone is prospering. Glassen's wife is Canadian, so they packed and moved to British Columbia. In 1982, the Miami-Dade Police Department formed a small unit of three detectives to look into unsolved murder cases. [68] The city of Wenatchee paid the Robersons a settlement of $700,000. [32] The main witness was Perez' foster daughter; Perez was the investigator of the cases. She told a counselor that her husband, Meredith "Gene" Town, had for years been molesting their two young sons. Whether those children were routinely gang-raped, as police and prosecutors say, is another matter. The 12-year-old backed up the charge. Interviewed in jail where she is awaiting trial, Donna Hidalgo claimed innocence. Laura can be contacted at [email protected] for any ideas or story tips. "Justice" would have required critical oversight of the cases. Perez didn't believe Devereaux and told him so. He rose quickly, becoming a detective trainee only three years after being sworn in. The Holts - Selid, Laura and their three kids - lived just a few doors down, at 512 Mission St. "Clearly, there is risk of embellishment," Berlin said. Distraught, Devereaux responded, "My life is ruined, okay, I did it. Stopping by juvenile hall to talk with her about a new placement, assuming she was released, Glassen found the teen agitated. After a family acquaintance was convicted of molesting the girl, Child Protective Services stepped in. "[82][83][84] Grant first used the term "witch hunt" to describe these cases in March, 1995. As part of the Fox News Flash & Media team, Laura has her hand in a variety of content - from faith & values to crime & justice - having recently interviewed celebrities like actor Leslie Jordan, author Mitch Albom, and crime expert Nancy Grace for FOX. Authorities alleged that Miller and her former husband, Larry Steinborn, were members of "The Circle.". That we must always remain ever vigilant. They were families, police say, in which adults treated children as commodities, "trading them like party favors" - not for financial gain, but for sexual gratification and illusions of power and control. A conspiracy such as that alleged in Wenatchee has never been substantiated in this country, according to federal authorities. Cherie and Meredith Town's former residence, 610 Mission St., is within an easy five-minute walk. All rights reserved. Police records say the youngster was forthcoming, confirming that his father raped him and forced him to perform oral sex.