Latest news with #sexoffense
Daily Telegraph
17-07-2025
- Daily Telegraph
Christopher James McCann: Former CBA exec charged with procuring underage girls found dead
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. A former Commonwealth Bank executive facing charges of trying to procure underage girls for sex has been found dead, police have confirmed. Christopher James McCann was charged with a single count of using the internet to procure a child under 16 for a sexual act and faced court earlier this week. He was granted bail on Monday to reappear on August 4. Former CBA executive Christopher James McCann was due to face court on August 4, but was found dead at an address in Springbrook on Wednesday. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell In a statement, a Queensland Police spokeswoman said: 'A report will be prepared for the Coroner following the non-suspicious death of a man at Springbrook yesterday (Wednesday).' Mr McCann was sacked from his job and had his accounts frozen after his arrest, a court was told on Monday. He sat in Brisbane Arrests Court – days after his arrest by NSW detectives at the Sydney Airport terminal – as he applied for bail. Despite magistrate Louise Shepherd acknowledging the seriousness of the charge, Mr McCann's lawyer David Jones KC criticised the police's material in objecting to bail as 'unprofessional' and engaging in 'fortune telling'. Both McCann and his co-accused, 18-year-old Shauntelle Elizabeth Went, walked from Brisbane Watch House on Monday afternoon with strict bail conditions. Shauntelle Elizabeth Went was also granted bail. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell Mr McCann did not comment to waiting media as he left the building with a bowed head and entered a nearby car. Ms Went was supported by a man, who appeared to clash with one reporter while escorting the 18-year-old from the court precinct. The OnlyFans creator then turned and made a rude hand gesture as she walked off. The pair were facing a single count each of using the internet to procure a child under 16 for a sexual act. A supporter of Ms Went (right) appeared to clash with the media as he escorted the 18-year-old from the court premises. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell Neither entered any pleas. On Monday, the court was told police alleged Mr McCann – a married father of two who travelled frequently interstate – formed a 'connection' with Ms Went, a sex worker. It is further alleged Mr McCann was organising to use her services while in Brisbane in May but queried if she had any 'younger friends' she worked with. Shauntelle Elizabeth Went is also charged with using the internet to procure a child under 16. Picture: Instagram 'You made an arrangement and agreed on a price to use Ms Went's services and that of two underage girls,' Ms Shepherd said in her summary of the police allegations. The teen girls, aged 14 and 15, and Ms Went allegedly attended the Sofitel Hotel, but Ms Shepherd said it was not alleged the girls went up to Mr McCann's room. The court was told Mr McCann was no longer employed by Commonwealth Bank as a result of the charges. His financial accounts had also been frozen by detectives. Mr McCann was extradited to Queensland following his arrest at Sydney Airport last week. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell His bail was opposed by police on Monday. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell Police opposed Mr McCann's bail, claiming there was a risk of further offending and general safety to the community. Ms Shepherd granted Mr McCann bail – ordering him to report to police once a week, not to drink or use illicit drugs and be subject to drug testing. He was also ordered to possess only one phone. Ms Went was also granted bail during an application before Ms Shepherd. The court was told Ms Went was receiving a disability support pension and received money through her OnlyFans account, but she did not perform in-person sex work. Both Mr McCann and Ms Went were due to return to court on August 4. Originally published as Christopher James McCann, former Commonwealth Bank executive charged with procuring underage girls for sex, dies
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
CBA exec charged with procuring girls dies
A former Commonwealth Bank executive facing charges of trying to procure underage girls for sex has been found dead, police have confirmed. Christopher James McCann was charged with a single count of using the internet to procure a child under 16 for a sexual act and faced court earlier this week. He was granted bail on Monday to reappear on August 4. In a statement, a Queensland Police spokeswoman said: 'A report will be prepared for the Coroner following the non-suspicious death of a man at Springbrook yesterday (Wednesday).' More to come. Don't go it alone. Please reach out for help. Lifeline: 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or Headspace: 1800 650 890 or 13YARN: Speak to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis supporter on 13 92 76 or visit Are you anxious? Take the Beyond Blue quiz to see how you're tracking and whether you could benefit from support
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Yahoo
Miamisburg man charged with child sex offense charges
Jun. 17—A 56-year-old Miamisburg man arrested after an investigation into a reported sex offense involving a child younger than 10 years old has been charged with multiple felonies. Miamisburg Police Department received a report of the alleged offense on May 28, according to a statement from the department. After an investigation, Michael F. Wootan was arrested at his Miamisburg home and taken to the Montgomery County Jail. Wootan pleaded not guilty to multiple charges via video from the Montgomery County Jail on Monday morning during his Miamisburg Municipal Court arraignment. He faces two counts of gross sexual imposition, a third-degree felony, and two counts of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material, a fifth-degree felony. A preliminary hearing is set for June 23. Wootan remains in the Montgomery County Jail on a $465,000 bond. According to an affidavit, a 7-year-old known to Wootan sent a partially nude image of herself to him via cellphone. The affidavit also said the girl described Wootan's bedroom to investigators and "advised that the sexual acts took place in his bedroom and that he recorded as least one video using his cell phone of them performing a sexual act." Police said the case remains under investigation by the department's Criminal Investigations Section and additional charges may be forthcoming. They urge anyone with relevant information to call Detective Joe Dooley at 937-847-6448 or reach the regional dispatch center at 937-225-HELP.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police linked man to C&O Canal towpath attack following separate arrest for indecent exposure
Police identified the alleged perpetrator of a March 6, 2024, attack on the C&O Canal towpath near Point of Rocks after arresting him for indecent exposure in another part of Frederick County two months later, court documents show. John David Hawk, 34, is charged with one count each of attempted third-degree sex offense, attempted fourth-degree sex offense, second-degree assault and false imprisonment in connection with the March 6, 2024, towpath attack. Chief Assistant State's Attorney for Frederick County Ricky Lewis on March 4, 2025, requested a warrant for Hawk's arrest on those charges. The filing lays out how Hawk's prior arrest on June 29, 2024 — which resulted in the seizure of his cellphone — led investigators to suspect that he was responsible for the towpath attack. According to the filing, Hawk was arrested that day after a woman called 911 to report that he was publicly masturbating in the area of 750 Carroll Parkway. He was believed to be living in Frederick County at the time. Hawk was released on his own recognizance after the June 29, 2024, arrest, online court records show. He ultimately entered an Alford plea to one count of indecent exposure in connection with the incident. An Alford plea is not an admission of guilt, but an acknowledgment that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict. Online court records show that Senior Judge Terrence McGann sentenced Hawk to three months imprisonment for the offense, but suspended the entire sentence. McGann also ordered Hawk to serve 18 months of unsupervised probation. While Hawk did not serve any jail time for his indecent exposure conviction, his cellphone was seized as part of his arrest for the offense, the request for an arrest warrant says. In February 2025, the FBI analyzed the data collected from the cellphone tower closest to the scene of the towpath attack. The data revealed that the cellphone seized from Hawk on June 29, 2024, was in the area during the time of the attack on March 6, 2024. Additionally, the request for an arrest warrant says, the National Park Service received multiple tips identifying Hawk as the potential perpetrator based on his physical appearance, his tendency to loiter in the area of the attack and his history of inappropriate behavior toward women. The victim of the March 6, 2024, attack was also shown a photo array containing an image of Hawk, who she positively identified as the perpetrator. The woman's name in court documents matches the name of one of two women who spoke to The Frederick News-Post on condition of anonymity last year about their experiences of being attacked by a man on the C&O Canal towpath. At that time, the victim of the March 6, 2024, attack told the News-Post that she was on her way back to her car from a three-mile hike when a man who she had seen near the trailhead earlier approached her. The woman said the man forced her to the ground, covered her nose and mouth with his hand and tried to take her toward the river bank. She fought him off, used her Apple Watch to call 911 and hid until police arrived. The request for an arrest warrant says the woman had injuries to her neck, right ear, face, lips, jaw, left shoulder and right arm as a result of the attack. At some point between his Sept. 26, 2024, plea hearing in the indecent exposure case and his arrest in the towpath attack case, Hawk relocated to South Carolina. A detective with the Frederick County Sheriff's Office and a special agent with the FBI Baltimore Field Office traveled to South Carolina on March 10, 2025, in an effort to locate and arrest Hawk, the News-Post previously reported. He was extradited to Maryland on March 20, 2025, and has been held without bail at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center since then, online court records show. Hawk briefly appeared in Frederick County Circuit Court on Monday for a conference ahead of his trial, which is scheduled to begin Aug. 13. His public defender, Graziella Bianchi, declined to comment on Hawk's behalf when reached by phone after the conference. A press release from the National Park Service on March 11, 2024, said the March 6, 2024, incident was believed to be related to a second incident on March 10, 2024, in which a woman was chased by a man wielding a stick near the Nolands Ferry entrance to the C&O Canal towpath. That woman also spoke to the News-Post on condition of anonymity about her experience. Asked on Monday whether the State's Attorney's Office is investigating a connection between the March 10, 2024, incident and the March 6, 2024, incident in which Hawk is charged, Lewis declined to comment. Hawk is scheduled to appear in court for another pre-trial conference on July 23 at 9 a.m.
CBS News
06-05-2025
- CBS News
Former Coppin State University police officer pleads guilty to forcibly touching teen girl
A former Coppin State University Police officer pleaded guilty last week to a sex offense after forcibly touching a teen while the officer was on duty, according to the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office. Court records show former officer Jamar Brockington offered to drive a 16-year-old girl from the university's Baltimore campus to her home on January 1, 2025. Once inside his patrol car, Brockington started making sexual advances toward the girl. Court records show this led to three instances of unlawful physical contact. When the girl got home, she told someone about the abuse, and it was reported to Baltimore Police. Video from the campus showed two of the three instances of contact, according to court records. Brockington turned himself in on January 10 and was held without bond for two months before being released on house arrest. He pleaded guilty to misconduct and a sex offense. He was ultimately sentenced to 110 days served and three years of probation. Brockington has also been ordered to register as a sex offender for up to 15 years. "Offenses like this are intolerable and inexcusable in any circumstances, but even more so where a police officer, whose very job it is to protect our youth from predatory behavior like this, is the one who commits the crime," said State's Attorney Ivan Bates. "He not only assaulted this teen, but he violated the public's trust." According to our partners at The Baltimore Banner, Brockington was a 17-year veteran on the force. He is no longer working for the university, court officials said. Brockington's attorney said the former officer is a married father of three who is taking responsibility for his actions. During a court hearing, Brockington said he looked at the teen as his child, but "let her down," the Banner reported. Police-involved sex offenses in Maryland There have been several similar instances of police being involved in sex offenses in Maryland. In early April, retired Baltimore Police officer James Weems was sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing children at his former wife's daycare. He drove the van for the daycare in Owings Mills. Weems' former wife was sentenced to four years in prison for shooting Weems after learning about the allegations. She testified against him during his trial. In March, a former Harford County Police detective was indicted on sexual exploitation charges. Ryan Christopher Hall, a former domestic violence detective, allegedly abused two children. He was arrested in October 2024 and charged with filming child pornography and sexual abuse. If convicted, he could face a minimum of 15 years in prison.
