Posted 9:03 am Friday, June 20, 2008
Mineola Foster Parent Arrested On Child Sex Assault Charge
EDITOR’S NOTE: It is the policy of the Tyler Morning Telegraph to not identify victims of sexual abuse to protect their identities and encourage reporting of such crimes.
By KENNETH DEAN And CASEY KNAUPP
Staff Writers
A foster parent entrusted with the care of three children involved in the “Mineola Swingers Club” has been arrested for aggravated sexual assault of a child on a California case from 18 years ago.
Staff Writers
A foster parent entrusted with the care of three children involved in the “Mineola Swingers Club” has been arrested for aggravated sexual assault of a child on a California case from 18 years ago.
John Orville Cantrell, 64, of Mineola was taken into custody Wednesday night by Wood County Sheriff deputies and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers.
“It is our case that we are still working on so I can’t give you many details, but we are going to extradite and are going to prosecute him,” Krishna Abrams, Solano County, California deputy district attorney, told the Tyler Morning Telegraph Thursday morning.
“There is independent evidence that corroborated the allegations to allow us to extend the statute of limitations in this case,” she said.
Ms. Abrams said two victims made outcries against Cantrell, but one could not be acted upon by law enforcement because the statute of limitations in that case had expired.
Ms. Abrams said two victims made outcries against Cantrell, but one could not be acted upon by law enforcement because the statute of limitations in that case had expired.
Cantrell and his wife Margie who have been foster parents for decades have been granted permanent custody of three children victimized in the Mineola Swingers Club. Seven people have been charged in the case for allegedly training children how to perform sex acts for an audience.
Mrs. Cantrell said Thursday she believes the accusations are in retaliation for their roles in the Mineola sex ring case.
“What John and I want to do is continue to seek justice for the kids in this case,” she said. “And if we have to climb a few mountains to get there, it will be worth it. And at the end of all this, John will absolutely be proven innocent.”
“What John and I want to do is continue to seek justice for the kids in this case,” she said. “And if we have to climb a few mountains to get there, it will be worth it. And at the end of all this, John will absolutely be proven innocent.”
Mrs. Cantrell, who has been a foster mom for 36 years, testified during Jamie Pittman’s trial that she has had hundreds of children come through her house and has adopted 27 of them. She said she does it because she loves children and she has “had to give up her life to do it.”
The Cantrells take the most difficult children into their home; children who have behavioral problems because of severe abuse, she said.
The Cantrells take the most difficult children into their home; children who have behavioral problems because of severe abuse, she said.
MINEOLA SWINGERS CLUB
In November 2004, Child Protective Services began investigating allegations of neglect and drug abuse. What they discovered after the children were removed from the home in March 2005, were children suffering ongoing sexual abuse and exploitation. The children went through three foster families before residing with the Cantrells, who have been granted permanent custody.
Defendants in the Mineola Swinger’s Club case include Shauntel Mayo, Jamie Pittman, Dennis Boyd Pittman, and Patrick “Booger Red” Kelly, all of Tyler; Shelia Darlene Sones, Mineola; Jimmy Dale Sones, 33, Brownsboro and Rebecca Pitman.
Two of the defendants have gone to trial and another is set for court next week.
The victims – three siblings, a 10-year-old girl, a 9-year-old boy, a 7-year-old girl and their 9-year-old aunt – all testified during the trials that the defendants taught them beginning at age 5 how to dance and perform sex acts in “kindergarten,” then forced them to dance and have sex with each other in front of an audience at the Mineola Swinger’s Club. The defendants collected money for the performances but only paid the children with food. The children were also given “silly pills” or drugs before they danced in the club.
During victim impact statements in Ms. Mayo’s trial, Cantrell said he didn’t understand what happened in Ms. Mayo’s life that led her to do what she did to the kids. Whether it was for money or sexual pleasure, he said he couldn’t understand that. He said now that he and his wife have the children, they will try to make up for what Ms. Mayo and everybody else did to them.
After Jamie Pittman’s trial, Cantrell said he now has the opportunity to raise the children and take care of them. “I’m going to love them as a father,” he said.
Ms. Abrams said the California charge stems from incidents alleged to have occurred during a time period between September 1990 and September 1991 and involved a child that was placed into the Cantrell home and was not a biological child.
Ms. Abrams said the case against Cantrell has yet to be presented to a grand jury, but that she felt the case was strong.
“It’s extremely disturbing that he is able to have access to children,” she said.
Two of the defendants have gone to trial and another is set for court next week.
The victims – three siblings, a 10-year-old girl, a 9-year-old boy, a 7-year-old girl and their 9-year-old aunt – all testified during the trials that the defendants taught them beginning at age 5 how to dance and perform sex acts in “kindergarten,” then forced them to dance and have sex with each other in front of an audience at the Mineola Swinger’s Club. The defendants collected money for the performances but only paid the children with food. The children were also given “silly pills” or drugs before they danced in the club.
During victim impact statements in Ms. Mayo’s trial, Cantrell said he didn’t understand what happened in Ms. Mayo’s life that led her to do what she did to the kids. Whether it was for money or sexual pleasure, he said he couldn’t understand that. He said now that he and his wife have the children, they will try to make up for what Ms. Mayo and everybody else did to them.
After Jamie Pittman’s trial, Cantrell said he now has the opportunity to raise the children and take care of them. “I’m going to love them as a father,” he said.
Ms. Abrams said the California charge stems from incidents alleged to have occurred during a time period between September 1990 and September 1991 and involved a child that was placed into the Cantrell home and was not a biological child.
Ms. Abrams said the case against Cantrell has yet to be presented to a grand jury, but that she felt the case was strong.
“It’s extremely disturbing that he is able to have access to children,” she said.
