1 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:12,479 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Crime Roundup. I'm Cheryl McCollum and I 2 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:16,600 Speaker 1: am joined as always with the Queen of the true 3 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 1: crime Rodeo, Nancy Grace. Nancy. We got one today. He 4 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: is hogtied meraporically, but we got a child predator arrested 5 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: and jailed after kidnapping a twelve year old girl and 6 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,040 Speaker 1: holding her hostage for two months. 7 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 2: You know, I want to talk about this. 8 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 3: You're referring to Mariago as pat has this little girl 9 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 3: just twelve years old, just turned twelve years old. You know, Cheryl, 10 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 3: we don't get to report good news that often in 11 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 3: our line of business. We're not the avon lady. Okay, 12 00:00:57,400 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 3: we're not party plans, we're not artists or poets. We 13 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 3: deal in the true life suffering of those around us. 14 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:18,759 Speaker 3: And Cheryl, when I have an outcome like this little girl, 15 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 3: this twelve year old girl, When a child is taken 16 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 3: by stranger on stranger abduction, I'm not talking about custodial 17 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 3: interference where the mom is like, screw you, you're a 18 00:01:30,280 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 3: bad dad. I'm taking her to Canada. I'm not talking 19 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:39,199 Speaker 3: about that, talking about stranger on a stranger A grown 20 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 3: man thirty four years old. There was some speculation he 21 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:46,880 Speaker 3: was thirty one. I believe, we've confirmed he's thirty four. 22 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 3: A Guatemalan national meets this little girl, if you can 23 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 3: call it that online, you know what, shame on me. 24 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 3: He didn't meet a little girl, that's like he was 25 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:02,520 Speaker 3: outside of Kroger and her girl Scout cookies. No, he 26 00:02:02,720 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 3: was online searching for a child victim. Cheryl, have you 27 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 3: ever gone online in the children's chat rooms? Because I haven't, never, 28 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,840 Speaker 3: I have not. No closed as I've come is standing 29 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 3: over John David' shoulder while he's playing Minecraft to make 30 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:19,239 Speaker 3: sure he's playing. 31 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 2: With people he knows in real life. 32 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 3: Right, Okay, I've gotten off. Course, she's alive. Bottom line, 33 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,280 Speaker 3: She's alive. That's the headline. And we never get to 34 00:02:28,320 --> 00:02:31,239 Speaker 3: do that. And a stranger on stranger abduction, it never 35 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 3: happens with a grown man and a little child. 36 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 2: But it happened. 37 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 3: Six hundred miles away. Think about it, Cheryl, he drove 38 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,119 Speaker 3: six hundred miles. What do you think he was doing 39 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,400 Speaker 3: in that car the whole way? Ten hours it took 40 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:50,679 Speaker 3: to drive him to drive himself from Ohio all the 41 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 3: way to Georgia to get this little girl, fantasizing. 42 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: Absolutely, and Nancy, you nailed it. He's online hunting, he's 43 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 1: at And I say it all the time, and I'm 44 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: gonna say it again. There ain't no such thing as 45 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 1: a part time pedophile. This is what he does. 46 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:12,760 Speaker 3: You got to explain that because a lot of people 47 00:03:13,160 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 3: that are lucky for them, they're not as well versed 48 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 3: in child predators saying that, oh, they're online paying their 49 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 3: bills and they a website pop saw up and they 50 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 3: go through it and there's a child there. That's not 51 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 3: how it works. When you say. 52 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 2: Full time, it is full time. 53 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 3: Hey, have you ever seen I have to prosecute these 54 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 3: When I was with the Federal as trac Ammission Commission, 55 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 3: their whole rooms full of callers doing cold calls to 56 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 3: sell things. It's like the warehouse with thirty forty eighty 57 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:52,320 Speaker 3: one hundred people working to sell stuff. And they go 58 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,400 Speaker 3: NonStop from the moment they start till they leave that night, 59 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 3: sitting at their desk and eating and they don't stop. 60 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 2: That's what a child press or does. You got to 61 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 2: explain it. 62 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: Giryl, Well, you know I tell people I will give 63 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: an example of Walt McCollum during football season, Nancy. He 64 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 1: knows the players, he knows their stats, he knows how 65 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: much they weigh, he knows their hometown, he knows their majors. 66 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 2: He knows the schedule. 67 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: He knows when Georgia plays in Athens and away and 68 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,479 Speaker 1: where they're going, and then he knows their opposing team 69 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 1: and their stats. He knows Georgia football like he's an 70 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:34,280 Speaker 1: assistant coach. He makes it his part time jaw. He 71 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:38,760 Speaker 1: reads everything, he looks up everything. He won't miss a game. 72 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: He watches the pregame, then he watches the game, then 73 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: we got to watch the post game, then we got 74 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: to talk about all the above. That's how invested he 75 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: is in football. These child predators do the same thing. 76 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:56,000 Speaker 1: They know apps. They know apps to tell the children 77 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 1: to put on their phone so their parents don't know 78 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: they're actually talking that look like the calculator icon and 79 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:05,880 Speaker 1: so you don't even realize that's a separate app on 80 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:09,800 Speaker 1: the child's punel where they can communicate. So you know, 81 00:05:09,839 --> 00:05:13,760 Speaker 1: there's this chat room you're talking about. There are other 82 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:16,560 Speaker 1: ways that they get to these children. There's ways that 83 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:18,599 Speaker 1: they know to talk to the children to get them 84 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: to open up. This little girl talked about being unhappy, 85 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:24,679 Speaker 1: she was lonely, she spent a lot of time alone. 86 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 2: So that's right there. 87 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,920 Speaker 3: You know what's really making me angry, as angry as 88 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:30,280 Speaker 3: I can be this early in the morning, which is 89 00:05:30,279 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 3: pretty angry. 90 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:31,119 Speaker 2: Actually. 91 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 3: You know what, when I would walk into an arrayment 92 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 3: calendar or one hundred and fifty ny fellons, I would 93 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 3: be mad as hub l I mean, and it would 94 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 3: be seven point thirty in the morning. Number one, believe 95 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 3: it or not, I cannot afford any coffee. I never 96 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:49,919 Speaker 3: had any money. I wor at two night jobs teaching school. Yes, 97 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 3: I had no money. So I'd go in without any coffee. 98 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 3: Then I would have to go bum coffee if I 99 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 3: got any at all from the secretary in the judge's chambers. 100 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 3: And believe you me, you would give me the side eye, 101 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 3: the side eye because I was a bom okay laps 102 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 3: and coffees. You go like, yes, okay, so of course 103 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 3: I was mad. I go in there and look at 104 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 3: all of them and all the charges. Yes, I was mad, 105 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 3: you know, and much less a trial calendar. But yes, 106 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 3: this will get me going first thing in the morning. 107 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:27,919 Speaker 3: When you're talking about her writing that she was lonely 108 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 3: and miserable. What twelve year old girl doesn't claim they're 109 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:36,360 Speaker 3: lonely and miserable. They're all lonely and miserable. You can 110 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:39,679 Speaker 3: take them, which I hate shopping with all of my heart, 111 00:06:40,080 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 3: hence the same tennis shoes and clothes constantly. I'll take 112 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 3: her shopping. I'll take her to get her nails done. 113 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 3: Also hate that. I'll take her to a movie. I'll 114 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 3: take her to meet her friends. 115 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 2: They're still lonely and miserable. 116 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 3: But cheryld people are acting like, oh this little twelve 117 00:06:56,279 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 3: year old girl reached out to him negative, Illy, you 118 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 3: gotta hand me that hot tea over there, and I 119 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:06,720 Speaker 3: don't mind to pull something in it. Of course I'm 120 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 3: not drinking, but I'm thinking I'm drinking. I'm thinking I'm drinking. 121 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: Well, let me get you even hotter, and matter? 122 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 2: Do I need that? 123 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 3: Because I'm already seeing my heart beat in my eyeballs. 124 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 2: Do we really need? 125 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 3: Go ahead? 126 00:07:22,040 --> 00:07:25,560 Speaker 1: We're gonna go all in. Have you seen him smiling 127 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: in his muggs? 128 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 2: Yes? 129 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 3: I threw a fit on crime yesterday about that, and ohhi, 130 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,760 Speaker 3: I would love to pace like a tiger, back and 131 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:38,119 Speaker 3: forth and back and forth, in front of the jury, 132 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:43,559 Speaker 3: just staring at the person outside, giving them little chunks 133 00:07:43,600 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 3: of meat with that mugshot in my hand, because yes 134 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 3: he is smiling. Also, Cheryl change development. His charges have 135 00:07:56,680 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 3: been upgraded. He is now charged with sex assault on 136 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 3: the twelve year old little girl. Think about it, Cheryl. 137 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 3: When I was twelve years old growing up on a 138 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 3: dirt road in Middle Georgia, my front stoor neighbor if 139 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 3: you could call it that, because everybody was so far 140 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 3: away from each other. Joy told me what a period was. 141 00:08:17,560 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 3: I'm like, no, it's not that's not true. That's crazy talk. 142 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:23,040 Speaker 2: Go away. That will never happen to me. 143 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 3: I knew nothing right, nothing at all. And here's this 144 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 3: little girl. Think about a twelve year old little girl, 145 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 3: and people are actually stating she reached out to him 146 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:40,959 Speaker 3: because he's a predator online and he catches a twelve 147 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 3: year old little girl that probably still believes in the 148 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 3: tooth fairy, Emma Lester rapes. 149 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 1: Her repeatedly and nas you know, she saved herself. She 150 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: was able to make another Facebook page and reach out 151 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: to her dad. So to me, that's a extraordinary. That's 152 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: that twist in this thing where you think here's this 153 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: child being held captive, and she finds a way to 154 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 1: reach out to her dad so that law enforcement can 155 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: go save her. 156 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 3: I don't know that she thought it through that way. 157 00:09:16,160 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 3: I don't think. I do not believe that was her 158 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:22,559 Speaker 3: mind process, her thought process, that I'm going to create 159 00:09:23,040 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 3: a secret Facebook page and I'm going to write my 160 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,280 Speaker 3: dad and then he's going to track me down. I 161 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,840 Speaker 3: think she just wrote her dad. But that said, it 162 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:34,679 Speaker 3: doesn't matter. Why doesn't it matter? Because there is no 163 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 3: consent in our jurisprudence for a child that age. That, Cheryl, 164 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 3: is why a child cannot go buy a car, or 165 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 3: cigarettes or vapes or alcohol, or have a real job 166 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,080 Speaker 3: or enter a contract because they do not have the 167 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 3: middle wherewithal to make those kind of decisions. Like this morning, 168 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:59,599 Speaker 3: it was the twins' first day. Just the words of 169 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 3: choking in my throat. If they taste like a dirt sandwich, 170 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:06,200 Speaker 3: the first day of their junior year of high school. 171 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:09,600 Speaker 3: How in the hay did that happen. I've only got 172 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 3: two good years left, Cheryl, Let's make the most of them. 173 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 3: But this morning she could not find her other shoe, 174 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 3: and they have to wear a uniform she could not 175 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 3: find her tennis shoe. 176 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 2: That she has to wear. Where was it? 177 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 3: It was about eight inches away from the other shoe, 178 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 3: except it was under the bed. I don't even know 179 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 3: if it was eight inches. I'm being generous. My daughter 180 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 3: or my son cannot go out. I heard him laugh 181 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 3: in his head off last night at midnight, playing some 182 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 3: kind of game with his friends. Yes it was a 183 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 3: school night, but I am not going to go in 184 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 3: until a six foot six, sixteen year old to go 185 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:51,640 Speaker 3: to bed. I say a gentle and make sure they. 186 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 2: Said their prayers. 187 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 3: I don't know if they lie or not, and then 188 00:10:55,320 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 3: I go. So what I'm saying is this child cannot 189 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 3: that type of decision. She cannot give consent under our jurisprudence. 190 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 3: So everybody's saying, well, she went along with it. She 191 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 3: reached out to him. I guarantee you, when she is eighteen, 192 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 3: nineteen years old, she's going to look back on this 193 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 3: and there's no telling what it's going to do to 194 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 3: her mental psyche. 195 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,440 Speaker 1: Nancy, can you imagine at twelve, if you could have 196 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 1: gotten a tattoo, I would. 197 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:41,559 Speaker 2: Have been covered. He signs in unicorns. That wouldn't help 198 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 2: in front of a jury. 199 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:45,120 Speaker 1: That would not help in front of a jury. And 200 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:47,400 Speaker 1: I know, you know, hug he used to talk about 201 00:11:47,400 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: getting a tattoo when he was you know, fourteen fifteen. Oh, 202 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,160 Speaker 1: I'm getting this, I'm getting that. And we laugh today 203 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: because of what he would have selected then, and that 204 00:11:56,679 --> 00:11:58,440 Speaker 1: would be permanent, that'd be forever. 205 00:11:58,760 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 3: What would he have picked? 206 00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 1: Well, when he was little, he wanted the island of 207 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:06,000 Speaker 1: Sodor from Thomas. The train. He wanted like the whole mound. 208 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 3: Oh my goodness. So okay, wait, we had the whole 209 00:12:13,200 --> 00:12:17,400 Speaker 3: train set. And that was our coffee table in New 210 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 3: York and Atlanta's same exact coffee table with all the 211 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 3: trains on it. And you know, when, especially in New York, 212 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 3: when fancy people would come over, which you know, I 213 00:12:26,720 --> 00:12:28,640 Speaker 3: hate anybody to come to the house because I'm a. 214 00:12:28,840 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 2: You know, weirdo. 215 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 3: So they would look at the coffee table covered in trains, 216 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 3: and of course the children would put plastic animals on 217 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 3: the trains and all. 218 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 2: Kind of craziness. 219 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:45,199 Speaker 3: This child is twelve and I believe just turned twelve. 220 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 3: Her mother is not in the picture, which she Elizabeth 221 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 3: her dad. The dad has a factory job. The uncle 222 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:57,400 Speaker 3: comes in babysits when the dad's at work, and this 223 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 3: is you know, I'm not a shrink, of course, but 224 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 3: this is the stereotypical target for a child predator. A 225 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 3: twelve year old little girl over the summer, lonely, mom's 226 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:13,440 Speaker 3: not there watching her every move. 227 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:17,160 Speaker 1: That's their prey. She was a straight up target. 228 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:19,959 Speaker 3: So I'm just trying to think through what's going to 229 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 3: happen right now. There's been some problem. I don't know 230 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 3: that I would call it a problem. It's a technical 231 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 3: legal issue. Georgia wanted him extradited to Georgia, where the 232 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 3: little girl lives with her dad, not all of the offenses, 233 00:13:36,040 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 3: because the kidnap began in Georgia. But a kidnap can 234 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 3: be prosecuted either where it happened en route or where 235 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 3: it ended. The sex attacks occurred in Ohio, so I 236 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 3: believe Ohio is going to prosecute them first, and then 237 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 3: if Georgia still wants him, they can have him. 238 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,200 Speaker 1: I think you're absolutely right, and I think furthermore that 239 00:13:58,400 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: smile has been wiped off. 240 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 3: You know, some people actually say idiotic things like well, 241 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 3: in their country, filling the blank or in their culture, 242 00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 3: filling the blank, Seriously, is somebody really saying that about 243 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 3: full on sex with a twelve year old? Translation rape 244 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 3: statutory rape, it's okay in Guatemala, I highly doubt that. 245 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:26,040 Speaker 1: And you know, Nancy, you and I had a buddy 246 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:30,120 Speaker 1: that worked undercovers sex crimes for a long time, and 247 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 1: she would go to the local middle school and elementary 248 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:39,840 Speaker 1: school and just sit during lunch and hear how these 249 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: little girls talked, you know what, music, what movies, all 250 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: those sorts of things. And she would say that when 251 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 1: she pretended to be a young girl online, that she 252 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 1: would use what she heard in the cafeteria. And there 253 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 1: was no way a grown man would not know he 254 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: was taught into a little girl. So even if somebody 255 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:06,400 Speaker 1: looked older or lied about their age, you'd still know it. 256 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 1: Five minutes. 257 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:13,320 Speaker 3: Speaking of their vernacular, all right there, that gave me away. 258 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:17,920 Speaker 3: I could never fit in their vernacular. They're slang, Sheryl. 259 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 3: I heard the children say something was crispy, okay. Then 260 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 3: I had to explain to David what that meant, like 261 00:15:26,560 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 3: it was good. He tried to say it at the 262 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 3: supper table. He tried to call something crispy, and they 263 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 3: just looked at him and it was just us for 264 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 3: like they were, you know, shaken to the core, shattered, 265 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:45,560 Speaker 3: and they said, please, don't ever say that again. Ever, 266 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 3: don't ever say crispy exactly. 267 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 1: Number one. That just goes how old we are. Like, 268 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 1: they have music we don't even know anything about. They 269 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: have artists that they love that we've never heard of. 270 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 1: And again, when you start trying to is slang, it 271 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 1: just does look right, don't sound right. And again this 272 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 1: man at thirty four had nothing to talk to with 273 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 1: a twelve year old legitimately. 274 00:16:13,920 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 3: And I'm just thinking about the chat rooms and how 275 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 3: predators find children online. It's intricate and amazing that they 276 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 3: can do it. Yet it's like a wolf. It's like 277 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 3: a coyote at the watering hole. It's also very simple 278 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:37,640 Speaker 3: because children are so trusting. They have no idea what's happening. 279 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 3: And this is happening, Cheryl, You and I have covered it, 280 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 3: and I have investigated it and prosecuted it so many times. 281 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 2: And once the child is gone, it's over. 282 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 3: They will be molested, it will happen, and then, Cheryl, 283 00:16:53,400 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 3: they're never the same. Yes, they'll go through life, they'll 284 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 3: finish school, they may hold a job, they may have relationship, 285 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 3: it's never the same. Just like every other crime victim, 286 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 3: it's never the same. Their childhood is ruined. 287 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 1: Their whole life is affected, every part of it. 288 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,160 Speaker 3: Have you ever well, of course, you had dealt with 289 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:20,280 Speaker 3: rape victims or adult victims of child molestation. The adult 290 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:26,920 Speaker 3: victims of child molestation that I've worked with generally have flashbacks. 291 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:31,400 Speaker 3: They suppress memories, then they come those memories bubble up 292 00:17:31,720 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 3: and then ruin their relationships, their families. It changes the 293 00:17:35,800 --> 00:17:39,199 Speaker 3: way you parent. You may not even be able to 294 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 3: have a relationship, You may not be able to have 295 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:45,720 Speaker 3: a family because you can't stand it. And then even 296 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:49,439 Speaker 3: if you do have a family, then it affects every 297 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,719 Speaker 3: part of your life. And very often I've seen a 298 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 3: common thread share of where adult victims of child molestation 299 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 3: the thing that sticks with them the most is the 300 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 3: feeling of helplessness where they're just laying there getting raped 301 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:11,840 Speaker 3: and there's nothing they can do about it. By to 302 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:15,920 Speaker 3: them a giant because they're tiny. I've had them tell 303 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:20,960 Speaker 3: me that they felt they were floating above the rape 304 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:25,200 Speaker 3: and could look down and see themselves, or they would 305 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 3: think about something else during the rape and it would 306 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 3: happen over and over and over. How many times you 307 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:35,160 Speaker 3: think this guy raped this twelve year old little girl? 308 00:18:35,560 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: He raped her before they got back to Ohio. 309 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:39,520 Speaker 2: Absolutely, no question. 310 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:42,920 Speaker 1: And over a two month period of time, you're talking 311 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 1: about sixty days, one hundred times conservatively. 312 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:48,240 Speaker 2: Here's the kicker. 313 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 3: Even if he gets twenty to life, they'll get out. 314 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:56,920 Speaker 3: I guarantee you they'll get out in uh max seven years. 315 00:18:57,320 --> 00:19:00,159 Speaker 3: I want him behind bars for life because they that 316 00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 3: he gets out, he's going to do this again. 317 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 2: Do you remember. 318 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 3: Walter Gates, For Pete's sake, By the time I got 319 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 3: ahold of him, he was sixty what four years old, 320 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 3: and he had been molesting children and everyone had been 321 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 3: turning the other way since. 322 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 2: He was a young man. 323 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 3: I alone came up with eight or nine similar transactions 324 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:23,600 Speaker 3: and those are just the ones I found. 325 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: That's right. Nobody rapes one time, no one. 326 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,360 Speaker 3: So bottom line, what can we do to help? All 327 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:34,120 Speaker 3: we can do to help is explain to parents because 328 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 3: they're unassuming. Why would they know. Why would a parent 329 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 3: know there's a child predator online targeting my child? It's happening. 330 00:19:42,400 --> 00:19:45,240 Speaker 1: Here's the deal for parents to know when your child 331 00:19:45,280 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 1: has a phone in their hand. You're not just worried 332 00:19:48,320 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 1: about the sex offenders around your community. Every sexual predator 333 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:59,480 Speaker 1: on the planet has access to your child potentially. That's 334 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:02,920 Speaker 1: the bottom line, that's the truth. If they go into 335 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:06,240 Speaker 1: a chat, if they post something, if they're playing a game, 336 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: if there's anything they are doing publicly, they will have 337 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:15,160 Speaker 1: an opportunity to come across somebody that is searching, hunting 338 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 1: for a victim. 339 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 3: You know, when you said child molesters or predators, can 340 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 3: I just go ahead and throw in teachers, Sunday school teachers, 341 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:29,439 Speaker 3: next door neighbors, Scout leaders, all of them. You remember 342 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:31,840 Speaker 3: what I went through when the children went Scout camp, right, 343 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,280 Speaker 3: I couldn't stand it when it got time for Scout camp. 344 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 2: In my mind, what does that mean? Murdering? Molestation? 345 00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:43,960 Speaker 3: So I made David and you can't imagine how much 346 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 3: he did not You know, David did not want to 347 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:50,359 Speaker 3: do this. I made him train with me, could be 348 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:54,480 Speaker 3: a Scout volunteer, and we eruughed it out in the 349 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 3: woods for a week so I could make sure the 350 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 3: twins weren't molested. 351 00:20:57,800 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 2: Guess what they weren't. 352 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,680 Speaker 3: So there I was in the middle of the night, 353 00:21:02,760 --> 00:21:06,880 Speaker 3: tating behind a tree to make sure the twins were 354 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 3: not molested. One day, I walked thirty one thousand steps. 355 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 3: Why because John David was actually got his sharpshooter badge, 356 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 3: and I was so afraid that there would be horseplay 357 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:26,560 Speaker 3: with holding guns. You know how I feel about guns. 358 00:21:27,080 --> 00:21:31,160 Speaker 3: Yet on the other side of this massive Scout property 359 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 3: up in the North Georgia Mountains, on the other end, 360 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 3: Lucy was taking photography and was walking through the woods 361 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 3: taking pictures. 362 00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 2: Can you imagine I could. 363 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 3: Hardly walk by the end of the day. I gone 364 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 3: up and down those mountains the whole day making sure 365 00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:48,399 Speaker 3: they were alive. 366 00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 2: Next year, screw it, they went on their own. 367 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:56,159 Speaker 3: And guess what, they came home safe and sound. 368 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 1: Amen, And every step was worth it. 369 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 3: Hey, can we just talk one more minute out about Melissa. 370 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:10,479 Speaker 3: I'm just I can't believe there was really finally an arrest. 371 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:13,640 Speaker 3: After all these years, all. 372 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:15,920 Speaker 2: The times we talked about it, all the times we. 373 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:19,479 Speaker 3: Thought about it, it really happened. It's not that I 374 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 3: gave up hope, Cheryl. I just at some point, you know, 375 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:28,320 Speaker 3: you get inundated with new cases and it just lurking 376 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:35,199 Speaker 3: in the corner of your mind, Melissa Wolfenberger, Melissa, Melissa, Melissa, 377 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 3: and I wouldn't forget about her, but you know, I 378 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:43,960 Speaker 3: have so many other cases that need help, And then 379 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:47,120 Speaker 3: we would revisit it with such a feeling of frustration 380 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:53,600 Speaker 3: and just numbness because we couldn't get justice, and to 381 00:22:53,800 --> 00:22:59,240 Speaker 3: think about her skull in a trash bag, a ripped 382 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 3: trash bag out in the middle of the road, miss 383 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 3: identified as a white male, just one snapho after the next. 384 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 3: But finally, when I talked to her mother and sister 385 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 3: and you the other day, my heart just broke. But 386 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:23,160 Speaker 3: I was so joyful that finally there's an. 387 00:23:23,080 --> 00:23:27,399 Speaker 1: Arrest, finally, and you know, I was out of town. 388 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 1: You were, as you say, swamped, deluge of cases, making 389 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 1: TV appearances. But her sister thanking us, naming us at 390 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:42,640 Speaker 1: the press conference. I think that probably touched me more 391 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:45,840 Speaker 1: than anything, because in a moment where she could have 392 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 1: been so single focused on the arrest and Melissa, she 393 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:56,080 Speaker 1: took the time to say thank you, And I don't know, 394 00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 1: that was just overwhelming for me to hear her do that. 395 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:03,000 Speaker 1: And then they stopped by the police station on Monday 396 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:07,439 Speaker 1: because they just wanted to see us and the first 397 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 1: thing out of her mama's mouth, she said, I remember 398 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 1: the day you called me and said Nancy Grace was 399 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: going to cover this case. She said, I knew in 400 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 1: my heart that was going to be the difference, that 401 00:24:20,680 --> 00:24:23,359 Speaker 1: was going to be the tide that changed this case. 402 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:29,239 Speaker 1: So again, people don't understand that you are not just 403 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 1: on TV, that you still go out in the field 404 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:36,560 Speaker 1: with me. We have run ground penetrating radar, we have 405 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:40,720 Speaker 1: done grid searches, we have worked drones. We have done 406 00:24:40,840 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 1: many many things and people don't know anything about it. 407 00:24:45,080 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 1: But this should show them that you are still active. 408 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,400 Speaker 1: You are still boots on the ground, honey, and when 409 00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:56,399 Speaker 1: need be, you put them spurs on. And like you said, 410 00:24:56,440 --> 00:25:00,479 Speaker 1: we don't always get that call. But this time, lightning 411 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,679 Speaker 1: is struck twice and we've got good news out of 412 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: Georgia twice. 413 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:09,919 Speaker 3: It's amazing. It's amazing, and what law enforcement did to 414 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:13,639 Speaker 3: finally crack this case after their predecessors had totally screwed 415 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:17,400 Speaker 3: it up, but it happened. They did it after all 416 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 3: this time. And I wonder, now, after all these years, 417 00:25:21,640 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 3: how the mother and the sister are actually going to 418 00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 3: move forward because they're getting justice, and I know what 419 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 3: that feels like. You work and you work and you 420 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 3: work toward justice, and then when you get it, it's 421 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:37,479 Speaker 3: like that's been your mission, very kind of like an 422 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:38,200 Speaker 3: empty shell. 423 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,439 Speaker 2: You have to kind of start all over again. And 424 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 2: I will be at your fancy dinner. 425 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:48,760 Speaker 3: I'll probably be dragging shut up David and the twins 426 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 3: with me. 427 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: So I'll put you down for four. 428 00:25:53,960 --> 00:25:55,920 Speaker 3: And you better put me down for five because John 429 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 3: David eats a lot. 430 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 2: I mean a lot. Oh man. I have to cook 431 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:03,439 Speaker 2: for seven to feed for. 432 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:07,360 Speaker 1: I hear you one hundred percent and listen, is that 433 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: not extraordinary? And you know, people say, how do you 434 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:11,320 Speaker 1: not burn out? 435 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 2: Just working? 436 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 1: You know, sad and horrible cases all the time, And 437 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:17,800 Speaker 1: I tell them, with the people that I get to 438 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:22,000 Speaker 1: work with every day, they are literally heroes. They are 439 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:24,560 Speaker 1: the best people in the world. How in the world 440 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 1: can I burn out? 441 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 3: Okay, I haven't you continue the back padding on yourself 442 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,120 Speaker 3: and I'll go work on some cases. 443 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:33,639 Speaker 1: I appreciate you, honey. 444 00:26:33,680 --> 00:26:34,080 Speaker 2: Bye. 445 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 1: I'm Cheryl McCollum and this is the Crime Roundup with 446 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 1: Zones Haaven