http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/22/transgender.slaying.trial/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
I have been following this story since the beginning, I have been moved so much, that I felt a need to add this to my Site. I thank God that justice was served on behalf of the family to this victim.
Here are other links I have found to share:
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/19250317/detail.html#
http://www.angiezapata.com/
http://www.myspace.com/lightacandleforangie
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Oxnard man sentenced in sexual assault case
A 26-year-old Oxnard man was sentenced to 68 years to life in prison for pulling a knife on a 12-year-old boy, taking him into a dark alley and sexually assaulting him in 2007.
Ventura County Superior Court Judge Patricia Murphy sentenced Arthur Melendez on Monday, according to prosecutor Gilbert Romero.
“The little boy is just devastated,” Romero said, adding that Melendez showed no remorse and didn’t take any responsibility for his actions.
Romero said the boy has become rebellious, fights with his siblings all the time and doesn’t want to go to counseling.
Murphy gave Melendez one year less than the maximum sentence, Romero said.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/apr/23/oxnard-man-sentenced-in-sexual-assault-case/
Ventura County Superior Court Judge Patricia Murphy sentenced Arthur Melendez on Monday, according to prosecutor Gilbert Romero.
“The little boy is just devastated,” Romero said, adding that Melendez showed no remorse and didn’t take any responsibility for his actions.
Romero said the boy has become rebellious, fights with his siblings all the time and doesn’t want to go to counseling.
Murphy gave Melendez one year less than the maximum sentence, Romero said.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/apr/23/oxnard-man-sentenced-in-sexual-assault-case/
Saturday, April 11, 2009
RAINN Releases New PSA in Honor of Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month
http://www.rainn.org/
April 1, 2009 – (Washington, DC) – Today, in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month, RAINN released a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) entitled “Speak-Out.”
24/7 Online HotlineThe OHL provides live, secure, anonymous crisis support for victims of sexual assault and their families over RAINN's website.
April 1, 2009 – (Washington, DC) – Today, in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness & Prevention Month, RAINN released a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) entitled “Speak-Out.”
24/7 Online HotlineThe OHL provides live, secure, anonymous crisis support for victims of sexual assault and their families over RAINN's website.
Jury deadlocked in Internet sex trial
Jurors told a judge Friday that they were deadlocked in the trial of a 24-year-old Los Angeles man accused of driving to Thousand Oaks with the intention of having sex with a 15-year-old girl he met in an Internet chat room.
The man actually was chatting with a sheriff’s detective, who arrested him.
The jury foreman told Superior Court Judge Harry Walsh that the vote was nine in favor of a not-guilty verdict and three in favor of a guilty verdict.
The judge declared a mistrial and scheduled a hearing June 12 to determine whether the defendant, Mohd Nafiz Imtiaz, will be retried.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Howard Wise said in an interview that he doesn’t know yet whether the district attorney will seek to try the case again. Wise said he had “great respect” for the jury’s decision.
Wise and Imtiaz’s lawyer, Patrick E. Clancy, met with jurors after the trial to discuss the case.
Clancy said jurors told him they believed Imtiaz didn’t really expect to have sex and assumed the person he was chatting with wasn’t really 15. Clancy described his client as a shy college student who uses the Internet as fantasy entertainment because he is bored and has few friends.
Wise said jurors told him that authorities should still continue doing Internet stings to find pedophiles prowling cyberspace for minors.
“That’s a lesson I’ll take back, and we’ll continue doing that,” said Wise.
Imtiaz was charged with having contact with a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense, a felony.
During opening statements in the trial, Wise said Imtiaz was eager to have sex with a girl he knew as Amanda. Wise said the defendant met the girl through a chat room at Yahoo.com in February and gave a graphic description of actions he wanted to take with her.
Imtiaz was directed to see her photo on MySpace. Wise said the photograph of the supposedly 15-year-old girl actually was a photo of an adult undercover female deputy, and in reality, Imtiaz was chatting with sheriff’s Detective Anthony Aguirre.
Imtiaz encouraged the fictitious 15-year-old to sneak out of the house and go to a motel with him, Wise said.
Aguirre arrested Imtiaz when he went to Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oaks to meet the girl.
Clancy, of Walnut Creek, told jurors his client was part of a cyberspace fantasy world with a lot of “masquerading” and lies. Clancy said his client is studying computers in Santa Monica.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/apr/11/jury-deadlocked-in-internet-sex-trial/
The man actually was chatting with a sheriff’s detective, who arrested him.
The jury foreman told Superior Court Judge Harry Walsh that the vote was nine in favor of a not-guilty verdict and three in favor of a guilty verdict.
The judge declared a mistrial and scheduled a hearing June 12 to determine whether the defendant, Mohd Nafiz Imtiaz, will be retried.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Howard Wise said in an interview that he doesn’t know yet whether the district attorney will seek to try the case again. Wise said he had “great respect” for the jury’s decision.
Wise and Imtiaz’s lawyer, Patrick E. Clancy, met with jurors after the trial to discuss the case.
Clancy said jurors told him they believed Imtiaz didn’t really expect to have sex and assumed the person he was chatting with wasn’t really 15. Clancy described his client as a shy college student who uses the Internet as fantasy entertainment because he is bored and has few friends.
Wise said jurors told him that authorities should still continue doing Internet stings to find pedophiles prowling cyberspace for minors.
“That’s a lesson I’ll take back, and we’ll continue doing that,” said Wise.
Imtiaz was charged with having contact with a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense, a felony.
During opening statements in the trial, Wise said Imtiaz was eager to have sex with a girl he knew as Amanda. Wise said the defendant met the girl through a chat room at Yahoo.com in February and gave a graphic description of actions he wanted to take with her.
Imtiaz was directed to see her photo on MySpace. Wise said the photograph of the supposedly 15-year-old girl actually was a photo of an adult undercover female deputy, and in reality, Imtiaz was chatting with sheriff’s Detective Anthony Aguirre.
Imtiaz encouraged the fictitious 15-year-old to sneak out of the house and go to a motel with him, Wise said.
Aguirre arrested Imtiaz when he went to Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oaks to meet the girl.
Clancy, of Walnut Creek, told jurors his client was part of a cyberspace fantasy world with a lot of “masquerading” and lies. Clancy said his client is studying computers in Santa Monica.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/apr/11/jury-deadlocked-in-internet-sex-trial/
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Man on trial for trying to meet girl on MySpace
Prosecutors allege that Mohd Nafiz Imtiaz drove from Los Angeles to Thousand Oaks for the sole purpose of meeting the 15-year-old girl he met in an Internet chat room in February and having sex with her.
The 24-year-old Imtiaz is on trial at Ventura County Superior Court on charges of having contact with a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense, a felony.
Prosecutor Howard Wise told jurors during opening statements Friday that evidence will show Imtiaz was “eager” to have sex with a girl he knew as Amanda and had seen in a photo on MySpace.
What Imtiaz didn’t know was that he was actually chatting with Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Detective Anthony Aguirre, who is trained and hunts down sexual predators in cyberspace who are on the prowl for minors.
Wise said the photograph of the 15-year-old girl used by detectives was that of an undercover adult female deputy.
Wise said Imtiaz called the female deputy who Imtiaz believed was the 15-year-old he was chatting with and talked about meeting her.
During two chat sessions on Feb. 4 and 11 on the Internet, Wise said, Imtiaz used very graphic description to indicate what he wanted to do.
Imtiaz encouraged the decoy 15-year-old to sneak out of the house and go to a motel with him.
Wise read portions of many messages like: “You just give me a call as soon as your mom goes out” and “I want you in my life ur young and I can manage that.”
Wise said Imtiaz was arrested by Aguirre when he went to Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oaks to meet the girl.
Imtiaz’s lawyer, Patrick E. Clancy, of Walnut Creek, told jurors during his opening statements his client is a part of a cyberspace world of pretend and fantasy where there is a lot of “masquerading” and lies everywhere.
“People lie about who they are,” he said, adding that this is all part of the cyberspace game.
Clancy said his client until recently lived in Bangladesh and is studying computers in Santa Monica.
Clancy said the chat room became a source of entertainment and his client never believed he was chatting or talking to a girl who posted confusing information about her age on MySpace.
He said it was Aguirre who wanted to set up the meeting, citing his message: “So do you ever come to Thousand Oaks.”
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/apr/03/man-on-trial-for-trying-to-meet-girl-on-myspace/
The 24-year-old Imtiaz is on trial at Ventura County Superior Court on charges of having contact with a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense, a felony.
Prosecutor Howard Wise told jurors during opening statements Friday that evidence will show Imtiaz was “eager” to have sex with a girl he knew as Amanda and had seen in a photo on MySpace.
What Imtiaz didn’t know was that he was actually chatting with Ventura County Sheriff’s Department Detective Anthony Aguirre, who is trained and hunts down sexual predators in cyberspace who are on the prowl for minors.
Wise said the photograph of the 15-year-old girl used by detectives was that of an undercover adult female deputy.
Wise said Imtiaz called the female deputy who Imtiaz believed was the 15-year-old he was chatting with and talked about meeting her.
During two chat sessions on Feb. 4 and 11 on the Internet, Wise said, Imtiaz used very graphic description to indicate what he wanted to do.
Imtiaz encouraged the decoy 15-year-old to sneak out of the house and go to a motel with him.
Wise read portions of many messages like: “You just give me a call as soon as your mom goes out” and “I want you in my life ur young and I can manage that.”
Wise said Imtiaz was arrested by Aguirre when he went to Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oaks to meet the girl.
Imtiaz’s lawyer, Patrick E. Clancy, of Walnut Creek, told jurors during his opening statements his client is a part of a cyberspace world of pretend and fantasy where there is a lot of “masquerading” and lies everywhere.
“People lie about who they are,” he said, adding that this is all part of the cyberspace game.
Clancy said his client until recently lived in Bangladesh and is studying computers in Santa Monica.
Clancy said the chat room became a source of entertainment and his client never believed he was chatting or talking to a girl who posted confusing information about her age on MySpace.
He said it was Aguirre who wanted to set up the meeting, citing his message: “So do you ever come to Thousand Oaks.”
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/apr/03/man-on-trial-for-trying-to-meet-girl-on-myspace/
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Saticoy man found guilty of child molestation
A jury Tuesday found a 65-year-old Saticoy man guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a minor under 14 years old, who was molested from the age of 8 to about 11, according to prosecutors.
The lawyer for defendant Mike Ortega, Joseph Martinez, said he was surprised by the jury’s verdict.
“It came as a real surprise to me given the evidence presented,” Martinez said. “I think there was a lot of inconsistent evidence.”
Superior Court Judge Bruce Young ordered Ortega, who had been free on $50,000 bail, to be taken into custody and held in Ventura County Jail. Martinez tried unsuccessfully to get the judge to allow his client to remain free on bail until sentencing.
Ortega is now facing up to 16 years in prison and will be sentenced April 28, according to prosecutor Gilbert Romero.
The trial lasted nearly five days. The victim, who is related to Ortega, testified in court along with her mother and best friend.
Romero said Ortega molested the child by kissing her and putting his tongue in her mouth, his hand on her thigh and his elbow on her chest.
The molestation occurred from 2003 to 2006.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/mar/25/jury-finds-saticoy-man-guilty-of-molest-charge/
The lawyer for defendant Mike Ortega, Joseph Martinez, said he was surprised by the jury’s verdict.
“It came as a real surprise to me given the evidence presented,” Martinez said. “I think there was a lot of inconsistent evidence.”
Superior Court Judge Bruce Young ordered Ortega, who had been free on $50,000 bail, to be taken into custody and held in Ventura County Jail. Martinez tried unsuccessfully to get the judge to allow his client to remain free on bail until sentencing.
Ortega is now facing up to 16 years in prison and will be sentenced April 28, according to prosecutor Gilbert Romero.
The trial lasted nearly five days. The victim, who is related to Ortega, testified in court along with her mother and best friend.
Romero said Ortega molested the child by kissing her and putting his tongue in her mouth, his hand on her thigh and his elbow on her chest.
The molestation occurred from 2003 to 2006.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/mar/25/jury-finds-saticoy-man-guilty-of-molest-charge/
Ex-firefighter pleads guilty in child molestation
Former firefighter Gary Taylor of Newbury Park pleaded guilty on Monday to three counts of child molestation and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14, according to Deputy District Attorney Catherine Voelker.
Ventura County Superior Court Judge Edward Brodie scheduled Taylor’s sentencing for May 1.
The defendant also admitted to the special allegation of having substantial sexual conduct with a child under 14, Voelker said. The charges stem from crimes committed between January 2000 and September 2008.
Taylor, 41, is facing up to 22 years in prison.
The victim was related to Taylor, who formerly worked at the Ventura County Fire Department, prosecutors said. Taylor’s lawyer, Mark Pachowicz, declined to comment Tuesday.
Taylor left the fire department within the past few months, department spokesman Capt. Ron Oatman said Tuesday.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/mar/24/ex-firefighter-pleads-guilty-in-child/
Ventura County Superior Court Judge Edward Brodie scheduled Taylor’s sentencing for May 1.
The defendant also admitted to the special allegation of having substantial sexual conduct with a child under 14, Voelker said. The charges stem from crimes committed between January 2000 and September 2008.
Taylor, 41, is facing up to 22 years in prison.
The victim was related to Taylor, who formerly worked at the Ventura County Fire Department, prosecutors said. Taylor’s lawyer, Mark Pachowicz, declined to comment Tuesday.
Taylor left the fire department within the past few months, department spokesman Capt. Ron Oatman said Tuesday.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2009/mar/24/ex-firefighter-pleads-guilty-in-child/
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