Cop Behind Sex-Ring Cases To Testify Defense Wins Right To Question Wenatchee Detective They View As Rogue Cop

Attorneys for a Pentecostal preacher and his wife, on trial for child rape and molestation charges, hope to show the allegations were fabricated by a rogue cop.

They plan to call to the stand next week a Wenatchee police detective whose testimony in child-sex cases in a neighboring county helped put several adults behind bars.

Douglas County prosecutors asked Superior Court Judge T.W. “Chip” Small not to allow Detective Bob Perez to testify in the case of unordained pastor Robert “Roby” Roberson and his wife Connie because Perez handled the Chelan County sex ring cases, not the Douglas County ones.

But defense attorney Bill Parker told Small on Friday that Perez began the investigations into alleged sexual activities at Roberson’s Pentecostal Church of God House of Prayer in East Wenatchee.

And two Douglas County detectives testified that they relied on reports they received from Perez when they began their investigation.

“You cannot divorce this case from Bob Perez, your honor,” Parker said. “His fingerprints are all over it. He’s the common thread who runs through every single one of these kids.”

Small ruled the defense could ask Perez about his interviews with the alleged victims.

Roberson is charged with four counts of first-degree child rape, four counts of first-degree child molestation and one count of third-degree child molestation.

Connie Roberson is charged with two counts of first-degree child rape and four counts of first-degree child molestation.

Both deny the accusations. They contend the charges were filed in retaliation for their criticism of authorities’ motives and methods in a larger sex-ring investigation.

The Robersons and 26 other adults have been charged since last fall with participating in what authorities describe as two loosely organized sex rings in operation since 1988.

Five of the cases have resulted in convictions and 12 defendants have pleaded guilty.

Perez is expected to testify Tuesday and is likely to be a hostile defense witness. He’s the foster father of two of the alleged child victims as well as the chief investigator in the 24 Chelan County sex ring cases.

The only other Douglas County case that went to trial resulted in an acquittal of Sunday school teacher Honnah Sims, the only person to be acquitted so far. Church bus driver Bill Davis’ trial is scheduled to begin Tuesday but is expected to be postponed.

Prosecutors rested Thursday after three of the alleged victims - a mentally retarded 15-year-old boy and 12- and 13-year-old girls - testified that they were sexually abused by the Robersons.