Prosecutor In Sex Ring Case Turns In Resignation

A prosecutor who was criticized for his handling of the only child sex ring case so far to result in acquittal has resigned for personal reasons

Douglas County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Frank Jenny submitted his office key along with his resignation letter on Monday. Neither Jenny nor Prosecutor Steve Clem would discuss why Jenny decided to leave.

“What I indicated in the letter is it was for personal reasons. I’m not comfortable talking about my reasons,” Jenny said. “I’d just like to leave it that it was a reason based on personal reasons.”

Clem refused to say whether Jenny was asked to resign, saying he couldn’t discuss personnel matters.

Last week, Clem confirmed that he had taken over as lead prosecutor for the child rape trials of pastor Roby Roberson and his wife, Connie, scheduled to begin Sept. 11.

Two dozen adults have been charged with having group sex with children at the Pentecostal Church of God House of Prayer and at other locations in Wenatchee and East Wenatchee.

Jenny was lead prosecutor in Douglas County’s first child sex ring case, involving Sunday school teacher Honnah Sims, who was acquitted last month on three counts of child rape and three counts of child molestation.

Officials involved in related cases were critical of Jenny’s handling of the case, accusing him of not preparing properly for the trial.

Meanwhile, the trial of Chelan County sex-ring defendant Donna Hidalgo was delayed for the eighth time to give the state Court of Appeals time to consider whether Judge T.W. “Chip” Small was wrong to deny Hidalgo’s last-minute request for an expert witness to testify on her behalf. Hidalgo’s trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday.

“An expert was shown to be key in the Honnah Sims case, and there’s a reasonable likelihood that it will assist (Hidalgo) in her case,” said defense attorney Phil Safar.

Safar wants to use psychiatrist Lee Coleman from Berkeley, Calif., to testify about how children can be fed information in sexual abuse cases.

Safar filed another request on Aug. 8 with a $2,500 pricetag and more information on Coleman’s testimony, which Judge John Bridges had also requested.

Bridges refused that request also, saying he didn’t have enough clear information about what the expert would testify to nor whether he was even available.

Safar refiled the request on Monday, and Small denied it because it was untimely, coming the day before the trial was scheduled to begin.

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