Judge Troubled By Actions In Sex-Ring Suit Officials Interviewing Of Witnesses Has ‘Strange Aroma,’ Judge Donohue Says

A judge wondered Friday why a policeman and social workers who are defendants in a lawsuit arising from the Wenatchee sex rings case are still contacting people who are potential witnesses against them.

Spokane County Superior Court Judge Michael E. Donohue said it was troubling that Wenatchee Police Detective Bob Perez and some state social workers were still interviewing people who may end up as witnesses when the civil lawsuit finally goes to court.

“This has rather a strange aroma,” Donohue said.

Pastor Robert “Roby” Roberson filed a motion asking that Perez and several social workers be kept away from potential witnesses in the lawsuit he has filed against them.

Roberson contended that Perez and the social workers were using their positions of authority to intimidate witnesses into testifying against him.

“The intimidation is causing witnesses to alter their testimony,” argued his attorney, Ken LeMaster. “This is shameful.”

Roberson alleged that Perez, Child Protective Services supervisor Tim Abbey and social worker Kate Carrow coerced Michelle Kimble, 19, into claiming late last year that Roberson had raped her at his East Wenatchee church five years ago, when she was 14.

However, Kimble recently filed a motion contending that Roberson threatened to harm her mother if she did not withdraw the accusation.

Donohue declined to grant Roberson’s motion. Rather, he asked the attorneys for the various sides to come up with a list of people who should be prevented from contacting each other.

“I want to get into a forum where the facts can be found,” Donohue said.

The judge also noted that the various charges of witness tampering filed by both sides contained such conflicting allegations that it was impossible to say which, if any, was true.

“I can’t sort out the facts you brought me,” Donohue told the lawyers. “A judge is not allowed to flip coins.”

But Donohue said it was clear that Perez and the state social workers should not be questioning Kimble and other potential witnesses, since they are defendants in the lawsuit.

He also said that Roberson should not be contacting potential witnesses.

When attorneys for Perez and the social workers objected they were just doing their jobs, Donohue said Wenatchee police and the state Department of Social and Health Services should assign other workers to deal with people involved in the lawsuit.