Detective Admits Bruising Foster Daughter

The chief investigator in the Wenatchee sex ring cases testified Thursday that he grabbed his foster daughter’s arm hard enough to leave a bruise the day she testified she was sexually abused by a Pentecostal preacher.

Wenatchee police Detective Bob Perez testified during the child rape trials of unordained pastor Robert “Roby” Roberson and his wife, Connie, that he grabbed the 13-year-old girl’s arm hard enough to leave a bruise on Nov. 30.

Defense lawyer Robert Van Siclen asked Perez about an earlier incident as well.

“In the last four weeks, have you had an occasion where you grabbed your daughter by the arm, twisted it behind her back to force her to the ground and then straddled her?” Van Siclen asked.

“No, I did not,” Perez replied.

“How about in the last five weeks?” Van Siclen asked.

“Yes, I did,” Perez said.

Roberson himself took the stand later Thursday. He denied he had abused any children.

Larry Daly, a defense team investigator, told The Associated Press during a morning break that he received an anonymous phone call Tuesday night from a classmate of the girl’s. The caller said the girl told her that Perez had abused her repeatedly - most recently on the morning she testified last week against the Robersons, Daly said.

The girl was interviewed Wednesday afternoon at her school by the attorneys in the case, and confirmed that Perez had abused her, Daly said.

The girl was subpoenaed to return to court to testify, but Daly told reporters Thursday evening that her testimony wasn’t needed because Perez admitted bruising her.

The girl, who was identified in court as M.E., testified last week that the Robersons had sexually abused multiple children in the basement of their church and at their home.

Douglas County Prosecutor Steve Clem asked Perez only a couple of questions about the bruising incident during cross-examination, and elicited that the bruise was “about the size of my thumb” and that neither incident was related to discipline.

While the jury was out of the room, Van Siclen said the physical punishment is in violation of foster care regulations in Washington state and he wondered whether Perez should be punished for it.

State Department of Social and Health Services spokeswoman Kathy Spears said late Thursday the child had never alleged that Perez abused her.

“After investigating, we find that the defense team’s allegation of abuse - which was not made by the foster child - is unfounded, and we believe the children are safe in their foster home,” Spears said.

She would not say whether the acts Perez acknowledged on the stand would be considered abusive by DSHS.