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#1,563 Kene Brian Lazo

Sexual Assault

VIRGINIA- Sexual Battery WAVY news reported back in 2021 that a Norfolk man previously arrested in connection with the breach and riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was accused of sexually assaulting a child. Kene Brian Lazo, of Norfolk, Virginia was in the mob of Donald Trump supporters who attacked the police and…

1274: LDS Church

Organizational Cover-Up

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, often called the Mormon Church, has protected and shielded child predators repeatedly. In December, 2023, The Associated Press did a story exploring just one of the many times the LDS Church has intervened to protect predators. The case they write about is unique in having recordings of the church’s efforts.

1250: Shawn Gooden

Abuse of Power or Authority, Child Indecency, Child Molestation, Child Rape, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Sexual Battery

Shawn Gooden was a bishop with the Mormon church and a member of the executive board of the New Birth of Freedom Boy Scouts. He was a lawyer in Harrisburg, PA. He was also an adjunct professor at Widener University Commonwealth Law School. That was all before he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a young relative in Virginia and was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison.

1228: Ben Wharton

Abuse of Power or Authority, Child Indecency, Child Rape

Albert Benjamin Wharton was a pastor at several churches in Virginia, South Carolina, Alabama and Florida. In December 2023, he was arrested in South Carolina and extradited to Virginia where he was charged with twenty-two counts of indecent liberties with a child under age thirteen while in a custodial position and eight counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child.

1200: Matt Fariss

Assault, Familial Abuse & Violence

He was charged with several felonies after swerving into another land and striking a woman with his car and driving away. They had been dating. The tire blew out on his car while they were on their way to dinner. A fight broke out and she got out of the car. He was yelling at her to get in the car, turned and cross the center line in order to hit her. He knocked her down with the car, stopped the car, and got out and walked toward her. She said she scrambled to get away, afraid he might do more to harm her.

1116: Ray Uttaro

Child Indecency, Child Molestation, Child Rape, Child Sexual Abuse Material, Coercion, Grooming, Kidnapping, Menacing, Rape, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault, Sexual Battery

Raymond Uttaro worked for Nelson County Sheriff’s Office in Virginia as a jailer and a D.A.R.E. officer. D.A.R.E is a program that works with children to teach them strategies for resisting bad choices regarding drugs, gangs, and other violence. A young boy came forward and described what was done to him. He also said Uttaro…

1067: Stephen L. McPherson

Child Rape, Sexual Abuse, Sexual Assault

Stephen L. McPherson was the Assistant Dean of Regent University Law School that was founded by the arch-conservative bigot Pat Robertson. Mark Martin who was dean in 2021 was among the lawyers seeking to overturn the election on behalf of Trump. McPherson and his wife Melina who were house parents at Hope Haven Children’s Home that places children in Christian homes. The McPherson’s adopted three children whom they sexually abused and raped. He abused two of the girls while she abused the other.