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November 12, 2004
Couple charged in multi-count child molestation case
By Marsha Miller -- ardmoreite.com
SULPHUR -- A Murray County couple has been charged in a multi-count child molestation case that accuses them of violating four small children for years.
Assistant District Attorney James Wilson said charges were filed against Roger and Rhonda Gilcrease Tuesday. Wilson said the charges were the result of a lengthy investigation.
"These allegations came to light in a deprived child case," Wilson said. "After removal from the home, the children began making disclosures about what had happened to them."
Wilson said the evidence in the case is overwhelming.
"There is so much evidence of so many allegations that we finally decided to formally charge these counts and seek arrest warrants for these defendants, rather than wait for all leads to be explored," Wilson said.
Roger Gilcrease, who was apprehended Wednesday in Woods County, is charged with child sexual exploitation, rape by instrumentation, showing obscene material to a minor, child sexual abuse, child abuse and knowingly furnishing alcohol to a person under 21.
Gilcrease is accused of committing the crimes between the years of 1998 and 2002. The charges allege Gilcrease raped one of the children, forced two of the children to, "engage in sexual acts .... with one another," as well as "maliciously encourage" all four children who were all under 10 years old to commit sex acts against each other. Charges further accuse the 25-year-old man of showing pornographic magazines and videos to the children and giving them alcohol.
In addition, Gilcrease faces charges of physically abusing the children by assaulting them, forcing them to wear soiled underwear on their heads, holding the head of one of children in the toilet and flushing it.
The charges against Rhonda Gilcrease are similar and include enabling child sexual abuse, enabling child sexual exploitation, lewd molestation, showing obscene material to a minor and permitting abuse to a child. The charges allege the 28-year-old woman allowed her husband to sexually abuse the children as well as molested the victims herself.
Rhonda Gilcrease was arrested in Murray County Tuesday. She is currently held at the Murray County Jail. Her husband was expected to be transported to the Murray County Jail from Woods County Wednesday afternoon. The couple awaits initial appearances in district court and the setting of bond.
Wilson commended the efforts of those involved in the investigation.
"I want to thank Steve Largent of CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), Stephanie Hacker of the Department of Human Services, Paul Luna of the Sulphur Police Department and DA Investigator Marc Sanders for their diligent efforts," he said.
The assistant district attorney said while the case has been filed against the couple it is possible it will expand to include even more charges.
Posted by Nealus at November 12, 2004 12:25 PM
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