There is an interesting case out of Coral Springs, Florida where a woman on probation allegedly videotaped her rape by former parole officer Zachary Thomas Bailey, 50. The brazen criminal conduct alleged in the case has led police to search for more victims. It may also raise collateral civil litigation over whether the state officials knew or should have known of the actions of this man.
The victim says that Bailey came to her home twice and raped her while her daughter was in the next room. The details in the article are quite detailed and indicate that the entire scene, including the victim’s objections and resistance, were captured on film. The police have both the video and a discarded condom as evidence in what is clearly a strong case.
Bailey, who was with the Florida Department of Corrections for more than 25 years, was fired. However, this type of conduct raises the question of prior complaints or the failure to properly supervise or monitor Bailey. According to news reports, Bailey was given prior awards for his service by his supervisors.
It is hard to see a viable defense if these accounts are accurate. The only plausible defense would be a consensual relationship and later a trap set by the victim. However, parole officers are barred from having sexual relationship with parolees and the position of authority would likely undermine such a defense for a jury. That makes this a case with a high likelihood for a plea. Yet, due to the abuse of authority, prosecutors would likely demand a high level of incarceration in any plea deal.
I agree with TinEar above. Same sex probation officers. I don’t know what to do for gay officers or gay offenders. Maybe a female straight officer for a male offender and vice versa. And a female vice squad officer for a female offender who is a sex offender to go along with the probation officer. If all else fails, then Officer Krumpke.
Issac,
Great post. If enhanced sentences are attached to habitual offenders and a host of particular crimes, why not enhanced sentences for abuses of power???
So this case illustrates the epidemic we have in our country in our violent treatment of women (continued). Sure the written rule of law in places like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, etc. remain restrictive and lacking basic human rights.
But our actual rule of law is only sometimes less miserable for the vast majority of women. The amount of rapes, sexual assaults, etc. is astonishing.
I am in favor of retribution outside the law in a case like this. If the victim has a brother, son, father, they might consider shooting this perp in the gonads and perhaps burning his house down. At trial they could assert temporary insanity and a jury would agree.
Poor woman. He picked victims who were unlikely to file charges. Good for her for sending him to jail.
I think that JTs use of the English language is far superior of any commenter on here and I have learned much from his integrity and lack of pretentiousness that so many of the commenters here seem to have and his innate knowledge of humanity that so many of the commenters here seem to think they have but are so sadly lacking.
The same society that ruins a person’s life for smoking pot, lets this scum off with reduced instead of enhanced jail time. There is something medieval about all of this, something that points to a need to focus on common sense as well as the law.
Most who have smoked pot from as an experiment only to on a regular basis don’t get caught and don’t have their lives ruined by this ignorance embedded in our society. Most of those in positions of authority that betray the public trust get a walk…..
@ JT
“Yet, due to the abuse of authority, prosecutors would likely depend (sic) a high level of incarceration in any plea deal.”
Did you mean to write, “demand”?
States might want to consider same-sex parole/probation officers. Female officers for female parolees and male officers assigned to male parolees. While one would hope that these officers would always behave professionally, having a male officer visit a female parolee in her home seems like risky business.
Oct. 3rd. Steven Vigorito. Woodland Park. NJ. Sentenced 5 yrs; attempted rape of 12 yr old.
Oct. 23rd. Joe Warden. Cynthiana, Ky. Fired for texting nude photos to children.
Oct. 23rd. Anthony Santos. Norwalk, Ct. Escaped child rape charges because victim afraid to testify.
Oct. 29th. William Byrom. Crawford, Tx. Charged w/child indecency. Fondled 15 yr. old girl.
Oct. 29th. Tyler Jochman. Appleton, Wis. Plead no contest to raping 15 yr. old. Sentencing Dec. 1st.
Oct. 29th. Michael Collum. Richland, SC. Charged w/repeatedly raping 15 yr. old for two years.
Oct. 29th. Erasmo Mata Jr. Pharr, Tx. Charged w/child rape while his co-workers watched. Trial date set Dec. 1st.
Oct. 30th. Bryan Lee. Lancaster, Ohio. Pleaded guilty to cyber stalking, and rape of four women.
Nov. 1st. Gregory Pyle. McHenry, Il. Rape of 11 yr old boy. Sentence 50 years.
Nov. 1st. Stephen Maiorino. Boynton Bch. Fla. Charged w/rape; Held gun to womans head.
Nov. 1st. Tyler Fox. Kane, Ut. Charged w/raping 15 yr old boy.
Nov. 3rd. John Augustus Rose. Los Angeles, Ca. Pleaded guilty to lewd acts w/15 yr old; possession of child porn.
Nov. 5th. Kyle Garstka. Sauk County, Wisc. Pleaded guilty rape w/ 2 10 yr olds. Sentenced 5 yrs Probation.
Nov. 5th. Daniel Holtzclaw. Oklahoma City, OK. Charged 32 counts rape, sodomy.
Nov. 5th. Andrew Demers. New Gloucester, Maine. Raped 11 yr old girl 10 times.
Nov. 8th. Eric Lund. Fairfield, Calif. Possession/Dist. Child pornography.
Nov. 8th. Kramer Aoki. Honolulu, HI. Charged Sexual assault/Rape.
Nov. 9th. Chuck Bullock. Collier county, Fl. 3 counts Rape/15 yr old. Sentence 2 yrs Probation.
Nov. 11th. Jason Eubanks. Rockdale, GA. Rape of 10 yr old.
Nov. 12th. Daniel Barber. Somerset, Wisc. Found guilty of raping at least 7 boys all under age 10.
Nov. 12th. Fernando Hernandez. Dallas, TX. Charged w/stalking/attempted kidnapping/attempted rape w/14 yr boy.
Nov. 13th. Thomas Sylvia. Butte County, CA. Charged w/child molestation.
Nov. 13th. Corey Daniel. Greensboro, NC. Charged 1 count/2nd Degree sexual exploitation of a child.
Nov. 13th. Kenneth Skogan. Placer county, Ca. Sentenced Stat rape. 150 days jail. 3 yrs Probation.
Nov. 14th. David Hubbard & Wife, Rebecca. Chilton, Ala. Charged w/87 counts lewd acts/rape of children.
Nov. 17th. Ruben Carrera. Houston, TX. Charged w/raping 15 yr old.
Nov. 17th. Christopher Warren. Beaverton OR. Found guilty rape of 5 yr old girl.
Nov. 18th. Jason Miller. Newton, NJ. Charged lewd acts/exposing genitals.
Nov. 19th. Douglas Burkhalter. Savannah, GA. Found guilty possession of child pornography. Sentenced 18 months.
Nov. 21st. Charles Locke. Cleveland OH. Charged w/rape 15 yr old girl. Sentenced 19 1/2 yrs.
Nov. 21st. Michael Grennier. S.Plainfield, NJ. Charged w/producing, & possessing child porn. Sentenced 20 yrs.
Nov. 22nd. James Shedd. Carbon Hill, Ala. Charged 2 counts rape/enticing a child.
It seems to be the case, but not the norm, that positions of authority ranging from parole officers to elected officials attract those that feel they are above the law. Reinforcing these perceptions of invulnerability are too many instances where the perpetrator of these heinous crimes, gets a walk or reduced sentence, protected by the institution that also considers itself above the law.
If there were sufficient examples of parole officers, police officers, and others all the way from the bottom to the top of the spectrum having been jailed for double the usual sentence, their crime being twice as heinous given the position of trust they occupy, there surely would be a reduction in this behavior. There will always be those who simply can’t help themselves but in this case and other similar cases, the official should be placed in jail for twice the time, no parole, and make the front page.
Now, who will be the first to bring Obama into this?
Sad to say.. But this is hardly surprising. Last year, within a 40 day period. I identified a stretch of over 50 current or former law enforcement agents who had either been accused, arrested, or convicted on sexual assault charges. The real tragedy of these cases, aside from the acts themselves, is that simply due to the offenders employment, they suffer far less stringent consequences for their misdeeds. Many do not serve jail time, or even have to register as sexual predators.
He needs to get the maximum sentence. This is despicable.
Power corrupts. Not news.