3 Victory Christian staffers waive right to jury trial in sex-crime case
BY JARREL WADE World Staff Writer
Thursday, February 14, 2013
2/14/13 at 7:03 AM
Two Victory Christian Center staffers accused of not reporting the rape of a 13-year-old girl for two weeks are heading to a jury trial while three other staff members accused on the same charges waived their right to a jury trial on Wednesday.
Paul Howard Willemstein, Anna Alisa George and Harold Frank Sullivan waived their right to a jury trial after previously pleading not guilty, but they could change their pleas and face sentencing on March 18, Tulsa County Special Judge Bill Hiddle said.
The court's action Wednesday indicated the three are planning to plead guilty without a deal from prosecutors.
John and Charica Daugherty, son and daughter-in-law of Victory Christian Senior Pastor Sharon Daugherty, will go to a jury sounding docket on May 10 with a jury trial scheduled to follow, according to the judge.
Tulsa County Assistant District Attorney Sarah McAmis said she anticipates Willemstein, George and Sullivan will enter blind pleas.
A blind plea is a plea of guilt that includes no agreement for lessened punishment with prosecutors. If they enter blind pleas in March, they will face sentencing by the judge.
"We have the opportunity to present aggravating evidence (against Willemstein, George and Sullivan) and show why we believe they should be held accountable," McAmis said.
All five staffers could face a maximum penalty of up to a year in jail.
The rape of the 13-year-old year girl led to an investigation that revealed more victims of sex crimes and a second child sex crime suspect, also allegedly not reported to authorities during the two-week period.
The second suspect, Israel Shalom Castillo, 23, was charged with making a lewd or indecent proposal over Facebook to a 14-year-old girl, according to court records. He has pleaded not guilty and faces a jury trial scheduled in August.
Chris Denman, 20, worked with Castillo as a janitor at Victory Christian and in other capacities.
Denman pleaded guilty last year to six felony child-sex charges, including the rape of the 13-year-old girl. He was sentenced to 55 years in prison and five years of probation.
Staffers charged
Name: John Samuel Daugherty, 28
Title: Senior youth pastor
Charged: failure to report child abuse, misdemeanor
Standing: going to jury trial in May
Name: Charica Dene Daugherty, 27
Title: youth pastor
Charged: failure to report child abuse, misdemeanor
Standing: going to jury trial in May
Name: Anna Alisa George, 24
Title: high school outreach program director
Charged: failure to report child abuse, misdemeanor
Standing: could enter blind plea of guilt and face sentencing March 18
Name: Paul Herman Willemstein, 33
Title: associate youth pastor
Charged: failure to report child abuse, misdemeanor
Standing: could enter blind plea of guilt and face sentencing March 18
Name: Harold Frank Sullivan, 73.
Title: former human resources director
Charged: failure to report child abuse, misdemeanor
Standing: could enter blind plea of guilt and face sentencing March 18
Original Print Headline: 3 Victory staffers to forgo trial by jury
Jarrel Wade 918-581-8367
jarrel.wade@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Harold Sullivan arrives for a court appearance at the Tulsa County Courthouse on Wednesday. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
Paul Willemstein (left) and Anna George: They waived their right to a jury trial for charges of not reporting the rape of a girl.
John Samuel Daugherty (left) and Charica Dene Daugherty leave after a court appearance at the Tulsa County Courthouse on Wednesday. Both will go to a jury sounding docket on May 10 with a jury trial scheduled to follow. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
|
