Acquittal Won’t Affect Sex-Ring Cases But Some Jurors Say East Wenatchee Police On ‘Witch Hunt’

The first acquittal in the child sex-ring cases won’t affect the 11 cases still pending, prosecutors say - but some jurors say the trial raised questions about authorities’ motives and tactics.

Sunday-school teacher Honnah Sims was acquitted Friday in Douglas County Superior Court of charges she sexually abused two girls at the East Wenatchee Pentecostal Church.

“Every case is different,” said Chelan County Prosecutor Gary Riesen. “Look at the fact that nine people have already been convicted or pleaded guilty with a number of the same victims.”

But some of the jurors at Sims’ trial are calling for an outside investigation, saying prosecutors had no evidence to support allegations of abuse from three children Sims had taught.

Juror Danny McGregor said serving on the panel changed his mind about the police investigation.

“Now I feel there is a witch hunt. There’s just no evidence,” he said.

The trial of Manuel Hidalgo Rodriguez began Tuesday in Chelan County Superior Court. The charges against Rodriguez are based on accusations by two of the three children who testified against Sims.

Douglas County Prosecutor Steve Clem said his office has no plans to change its prosecution of other members of the church.

Pastor Roby Roberson, his wife, Connie, and church bus driver Bill G. Davis are scheduled to go on trial in September on similar charges in Douglas County Superior Court. Theirs are the only cases remaining in Douglas County, where East Wenatchee is located. The remainder are pending in Chelan County.

At least 23 adults have been charged since last fall with participating in two loosely organized sex rings, which authorities say have operated since 1988.

“I can understand some jurors felt this (Sims’) case was weak, but we have different cases with our other three defendants. We have more adult witnesses and more child witnesses to corroborate the victim-witnesses than in the Sims trial,” Clem said.

“We’re disappointed with the verdict, but I think the verdict shows our system of justice works. If O.J. Simpson gets a ‘not guilty’ verdict, does that mean he didn’t do it? All it means is that in a court of law, he couldn’t be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and that kind of thing happens on a regular basis,” Clem said.

The Sims acquittal is “kind of a red flag to the community that not everything is exactly as we’ve been told it was,” said Cherie Greenfield, chairwoman of Concerned Citizens for Legal Accountability.

“I’m really insulted as a citizen of Douglas County to have this thing brought to trial and to spend the taxpayers’ money with the kind of evidence that was brought to court to prosecute these people,” said Karl Ohler, foreman of the Sims jury.