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Washington Man Faces Child Molesting Charges

By Mike Grant
Washington Times Herald
February 6, 2015

http://www.washtimesherald.com/news/local_news/washington-man-faces-child-molesting-charges/article_b14ef977-c5dd-5659-bdee-77eb3d2c9965.html



Police have arrested a Washington man accusing him of sexually abusing a boy over a six-year period. Washington Police charged Armando Bruno-Morales, 55, with three counts of child molesting on Sunday. Officers say they began an investigation into the abuse after being contacted by the family and after interviewing Bruno arrested him.

In a probable cause affidavit filed in Daviess Superior Court, Washington City Police Detective Daniel Christie says that the victim claimed the sexual abuse began in 2008 when he was 8 years old. The victim claimed Bruno had been a pastor at a church the family attended and lived with them briefly and later stayed as an occasional overnight guest. It was during that time that police say the molestation began.

Officers say Bruno had been serving as a pastor at an Hispanic Church on W. Main Street while the alleged abuse took place.

The family moved to another location in Washington in 2010, but the court document says the abuse continued and the child claimed there were at least 15 occasions where he was sexually abused. Detective Christie's affidavit says Bruno threatened to molest the victim even more if he told anyone about it.

In the court document the victim also reported several instances where he was fondled and more abuse was about to be initiated, but it was interrupted.

Detective Christie also asserts in his affidavit that he interviewed Bruno who admitted to living with the victim's family off and on, but denied having sexually abused him. Following further questioning, Christie says Bruno later admitted to touching the boy in the groin area and that Bruno also derived sexual satisfaction.

Police say the arrest involves the one child and that they have no indication that any other children were victims of abuse by Bruno.

Besides Washington City Police, the office of Child Protective Services also joined the investigation.

One of the child molesting charges against Bruno is a Class A felony and carries potential penalties of 20 to 50 years in prison. The other two charges are Class C felonies that carry penalties of two to eight years in jail.

Bruno had an initial hearing in Daviess Superior Court on Thursday where he had a preliminary plea of not guilty entered on his behalf. In addition, the court appointed him an attorney and set trial dates of June 23-26. Bruno remains in the Daviess County Security Center where he is being held on $500,000 bond.

 

 

 

 

 




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