TX - 21 arrests in gang rapes of 11yo girl, Cleveland, 2010

[jjenny]

Police were looking for him and some residents are complaining about that.
But no luck so far. I doubt he is hiding out in Cleveland considering how small it is, but I am glad police are at least looking for him. I am not sure why this suspect (and presumably other suspects in this case) got such small bail considering the serious time in prison they are facing. Did he even have an ankle monitor? Doesn't appear so.


"Caroline King, who lives down the street, insisted Friday that people still "don't know the facts of the case" and said authorities were just "harassing people" by knocking on doors in the town of about 7,700 people as they searched for McGowen."

http://journalstar.com/news/nationa...cle_9334ea22-186b-50a1-8352-6a0cc23ac0e2.html

 

[JeannaT]

Police were looking for him and some residents are complaining about that.
But no luck so far. I doubt he is hiding out in Cleveland considering how small it is, but I am glad police are at least looking for him. I am not sure why this suspect (and presumably other suspects in this case) got such small bail considering the serious time in prison they are facing. Did he even have an ankle monitor? Doesn't appear so.


"Caroline King, who lives down the street, insisted Friday that people still "don't know the facts of the case" and said authorities were just "harassing people" by knocking on doors in the town of about 7,700 people as they searched for McGowen."

http://journalstar.com/news/nationa...cle_9334ea22-186b-50a1-8352-6a0cc23ac0e2.html

I'm not sure the court system, at the time of his bail, were aware he was facing such stiff sentencing. I think you can divide the accused here into several categories - those who had no criminal record and were swept up in the crowd, like the juveniles on the baseball team, and those who have several prior felony convictions and appeared to be leading this group assault.

McGowan certainly falls in to the second category. As I understand it, the ones who pled guilty already received no jail time - they were sentenced to a prison term, but were given a deferment if they don't violate the provisions of a lengthy probationary term. McGowan, if I understand it, is among the very guiltiest.

 

[jjenny]

No, the adults who pleaded guilty got prison time, as far as I can tell. 15 years, I believe. Here is the article that mentions one adult sentenced to 15 years. I think only minors got plea deals not involving actual prison time.

"Marcus Porchia was sentenced earlier this month to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child as part of an agreement with prosecutors, according to court records. Porchia's guilty plea is the second among the 14 adults charged in the case. He had been facing up to life in prison."

http://www.chron.com/default/article/2nd-man-pleads-guilty-in-Texas-child-rape-case-3642391.php

 

[lonetraveler]

These heinous acts occurred on more than one occasion; those responsible knew what they were doing and to whom. I am also disgusted by the reactions of the parents and others defending the SO/Perps. They all had better be charged as "RSO" when this is finished too. People need to realize that they are accountable for their actions. I am sick and tired of the excuses, slaps on the hands,and boys will be boys mentality - this is very disturbing and perverse.

The reactions of the parents and others defending these rapists help me understand how the rapist were brought up to do this heinous crime. This is beyond disgusting to me.

 

[B4igo2it]

I would like to see billboards with McGowan on it, I consider him a danger to society; primarily, to ever female 11 yr old + Urgh! The guy definitely has some guts
(I live in the Houston area and yes, he was headline news for a day or so. His pathetic face needs to remain fresh in people's memories so we can get him off the streets)
Also, I would hate for him to try to steal my car, rob/burglarize me in the meantime!

 

[Harmony 2]

Published 12:37 p.m., Friday, September 7, 2012

McGowen, however, remains on the lam after leaving the courthouse during a break in is trial last week. A massive manhunt has not produced a sign of him, authorities say.

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/n...ty-County-gang-rape-3847845.php#ixzz25vmlblpC

 

[jjenny]

On a bright side, presumably after seeing a verdict and 99 year old sentence, four other defendants pleaded guilty.

"Four defendants have pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in Cleveland, Texas."

Read more: http://www.myfoxhouston.com/story/1...leveland-child-sex-assault-case#ixzz25vc6J3Yn

 

[Salem]

I was in Cleveland yesterday. It's a town that's seen better times - <modsnip>. I don't know exactly what I expected to see - but I didn't see any "wanted" type posters that might help with finding this guy. We were having car trouble so we had to stop there and there was no evidence I could see that this convicted felon was missing, or that this horrible incident had happened. This is nice, though - a local church is offering a program to encourage girls to respect themselves. Every cloud has a silver lining, I guess.

http://m.lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2012-09-01/some-texas-town-still-disagree-over-sex-assault

I want to know where the classes are that teach boys/young men to respect themselves. What these boys did is disrespect to themselves, to young girls and other women, to their community, to their families. Not a one of them had the self-respect or decency to stand up against this horrible crime. NOT ONE! So where the heck are their classes? I think they need more education than the girls do. :banghead::banghead:

(sorry for the rant)

Salem

 

[B4igo2it]

I would like to see billboards with McGowan on it, I consider him a danger to society; primarily, to ever female 11 yr old + Urgh! The guy definitely has some guts
(I live in the Houston area and yes, he was headline news for a day or so. His pathetic face needs to remain fresh in people's memories so we can get him off the streets)
Also, I would hate for him to try to steal my car, rob/burglarize me in the meantime!

YIKES! They captured him today - and near my job! Good thing he didnt steal my car while in the neighborhood! :woohoo:

 

[B4igo2it]

Police rec'd a tip McGowen was staying in an apartment in the Greenspoint area (aka "guns-point ... due to high crime rate) and kept an eye on the apt for a couple of days, then they stormed in to capture. McGowen had no clue.

I have to give LE credit for their swift capture and ability to locate him ... he could have been anywhere. 99 years; now don't that have a nice ring to it!

I'll see if I can find any media on his capture, I only heard on my way home from work an hour ago. I have TV local news on and they have not reported (seem more concerned with "Fall allergies" :what

 

[B4igo2it]

:floorlaughosted: Tuesday, September 11, 2012 3:17 pm ...

US marshals capture man who fled Texas rape trial

"The fugitive was apparently caught by surprise, as he was sitting on a toilet when authorities entered the apartment and arrested him," :floorlaugh:

http://www.news-journal.com/news/st...cle_c254d856-fc4d-11e1-8284-0019bb2963f4.html

 

[Steely Dan]

:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo: :woohoo::woohoo:

 

[JeannaT]

Well great that they got him. It was beginning to look kind of bleak.

 

[tlcya]

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/articles/texas-144856-liberty-rape.html

The 20-year-old did not say anything during the brief court hearing, and mostly looked at the floor. When asked by state District Judge Mark Morefield if there was any legal reason why the sentence shouldn't be imposed, McGowen appeared to mumble something to his attorney, Matthew Poston. Poston said his client objected to the sentence because it was "cruel and unusual."

Awwwwwwwwwwww, big fat pity party for Mr. Mcgowen anyone?

 

[lonetraveler]

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/articles/texas-144856-liberty-rape.html

The 20-year-old did not say anything during the brief court hearing, and mostly looked at the floor. When asked by state District Judge Mark Morefield if there was any legal reason why the sentence shouldn't be imposed, McGowen appeared to mumble something to his attorney, Matthew Poston. Poston said his client objected to the sentence because it was "cruel and unusual."

Awwwwwwwwwwww, big fat pity party for Mr. Mcgowen anyone?

:boohoo::boohoo: Here you go McGowen!

 

[fhc]

http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/09/21/4279213/four-men-sentenced-in-gang-rape.html

LIBERTY -- Four men who pleaded guilty in the repeated sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl were each sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison, terms they agreed to with prosecutors.

The defendants were Timothy Ellis, 20; his cousin, Rayford Ellis Jr., 21; Kelvin King, 23; and Jared McPherson, 20. All had pleaded guilty earlier this month to aggravated sexual assault of a child, and all must register as sex offenders once released from prison.

Rayford Ellis also pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a 2008 case, while King pleaded guilty to another aggravated sexual assault charge in a 2009 case involving an attack on a different girl. Each received 15 years for those charges and will serve those sentences at the same time as the sentences for assaulting the 11-year-old.

 

[JeannaT]

http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/09/21/4279213/four-men-sentenced-in-gang-rape.html

LIBERTY -- Four men who pleaded guilty in the repeated sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl were each sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison, terms they agreed to with prosecutors.

The defendants were Timothy Ellis, 20; his cousin, Rayford Ellis Jr., 21; Kelvin King, 23; and Jared McPherson, 20. All had pleaded guilty earlier this month to aggravated sexual assault of a child, and all must register as sex offenders once released from prison.

Rayford Ellis also pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a 2008 case, while King pleaded guilty to another aggravated sexual assault charge in a 2009 case involving an attack on a different girl. Each received 15 years for those charges and will serve those sentences at the same time as the sentences for assaulting the 11-year-old.

This is such a troublesome case. The men who already had criminal convictions apparently got NOTHING additional in punishment - the criminals, in fact, were given basically a free skate. They already were sentenced to serve time, and their time additional by assaulting this child doesn't add to their sentence - it's to be served concurrently. It's a wash, as if they never committed this crime. And they were probably the leaders.

The juveniles - the followers, without criminal pasts - are the ones who have been demolished in this case. I don't know these individual boys, but I would be inclined (were I the judge) to dismiss the charges outright for juveniles who merely participated in sexual behavior with this girl, and did nothing violent or disturbed. Most especially any in middle school, who if they had sex with her outside of this context, would have committed no crime whatsoever.

This just seems totally upside-down.

 

[jjenny]

How did the juveniles got demolished? As far as I can tell they didn't even get prison time.

 

[jennapuppy]

www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Jurors-chosen-in-first-trial-in-Cleveland-3819614.php
According to this article, the 7 juveniles received 7-year probated sentences. Most of these juveniles were 3-5 years older than she was. Only one was in middle school.

I don't see that this can be considered demolishing their lives, considering what was done to this victim. This is not a case of consensual sex between 2 juveniles. There is no such thing as consensual sex between an 11-year old girl and 20 boys and men. Because she is younger than 14, it is aggravated sexual assault. She was threatened, raped repeatedly - sometimes with inanimate objects such as beer bottles - and videotaped. No one merely participated in sexual behavior with this child. Every bit of it was violent and disturbed.

 

[Steely Dan]

www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Jurors-chosen-in-first-trial-in-Cleveland-3819614.php
According to this article, the 7 juveniles received 7-year probated sentences. Most of these juveniles were 3-5 years older than she was. Only one was in middle school.

I don't see that this can be considered demolishing their lives, considering what was done to this victim. This is not a case of consensual sex between 2 juveniles. There is no such thing as consensual sex between an 11-year old girl and 20 boys and men. Because she is younger than 14, it is aggravated sexual assault. She was threatened, raped repeatedly - sometimes with inanimate objects such as beer bottles - and videotaped. No one merely participated in sexual behavior with this child. Every bit of it was violent and disturbed.

:goodpost: