Three family members have been arrested and charged with multiple counts of sex offenses after the Department of Social Services tipped authorities off. Law enforcement officers say that the three are closely related to the two alleged victims of the child sexual abuse.
The three people involved are 44-year-old man, his 40-year-old sister and the man’s 21-year-old son. The 44-year-old man has been charged with 11 counts of first degree sex offense of a child relative and 11 counts of conspiracy felony. At the time of his arrest, the man was also in possession of marijuana and has been charged with drug possession and paraphernalia possession.
The 40-year-old woman faces 15 counts of conspiracy felony and 15 counts of sex acts of child abuse. The 21-year-old man has been charged with three counts of first degree sex offenses after having sex with his 40-year-old aunt. The two men have been previously charged with sex crimes in North Carolina.
Bond for the 44-year-old and 40-year-old charged in connection with these crimes has exceeded $6 million dollars. Bond for the 21-year-old is $1.5 million dollars.
Family of the three, however, maintains their innocence. The family has said that the three are good people who did not commit these crimes.
Source: Eyewitness News 9 “Three charged with child sexual abuse, family maintains their innocence,” Alex Freedman, 10/14/2011