Fox Nation's ‘In the Valley of Sin’ examines the mid-90s witch hunt that pitted neighbor against neighbor in Wenatchee, Washington — the self-appointed 'Apple Capital of The World' — when police uncovered a monstrous child sex ring known among its membership as 'The Circle.' Local authorities alleged that dozens of children were raped in the bedrooms of their parents, in the homes of their neighbors, and at ritualized orgies on the altar of a church.
But there was one problem: none of it actually happened.
There had been no such sex ring --- a truth that only emerged after 43 parents were arrested and dozens of children were made wards of the state. The harrowing accusations were completely unfounded, leaving Wenatchee desperate for answers. Now, Fox Nation searches for such answers, as former prosecutor and 'Crime Stories' host Nancy Grace provides insight into the story that changed a town forever.
"Evil does not require a motive...it simply is."
Q. If true, "The Circle" would have likely gone down as one of the most egregious cases of crimes in American history; instead, what’s egregious is that it had been entirely made up at the hands of law enforcement. Would you consider this one the earliest instances of "fake news" we’ve seen?
A. I generally consider "fake news" to be sensationalized accounts generated by the media. In the Wenatchee investigation, lies were originally generated by a particular detective and those around him who blindly accepted his premise and not only enabled it, but allowed it to mushroom into the debacle it became. "Fake news" sounds so benign. The Wenatchee cases were anything but [fake news]; they destroyed lives, destroyed children and parents, and left many of the children with lifelong angst.
Q. The detective responsible for the witch hunt, Robert "Bob" Perez, having incarcerated 43 adults with almost 30,000 counts of child rape and molestation, had become the lead detective of the Sex Crimes Unit in Wenatchee after attending a 3-day, 40-hour course on child abuse. Would you consider that training to be appropriately extensive?
A. I do not consider a 40-hour training course on child abuse "extensive" at all. I was with the District Attorney’s Office in inner-city Atlanta for over a solid year, handling felonies in various capacities every single day, before I prosecuted a child molestation case --- much less allegations of this magnitude. Forty hours sitting in a classroom spread over three days? No.
Q. Bob Perez died a disgraced former detective in 2013. What would you say to him if he were alive today?
A. After speaking one-on-one to many of the then-children who were coerced into accusing their mothers and fathers of molesting them, I have one word for Mr. Perez: "SHAME!" He brought shame onto Lady Justice and on all those people who fight for justice every day. Believe me, I know, it’s hard in the trenches and Perez hasn’t made it any easier.
THE REAL STORY BEHIND THE FAKE SEX RING THAT CHANGED WENATCHEE FOREVER
Q. Tim Abbey, the Supervisor of Child Protective Services at the time of the Wenatchee sex crime investigation, had no doubt done his part in aiding Perez – having dismissed an alleged victim’s recantation, facilitating the arrest of the caseworker who’d brought the very admission to his attention, and even forcing hospitalization at a mental facility for any children who’d been uncooperative witnesses in the prosecution of their parents. What would you ask Abbey, if given the opportunity to interview him?
A. I would ask him "why?"
Q. In your expert opinion, what do you believe were the motives behind Perez and Abbey’s witch hunt?
A. If at trial, a prosecutor is never required to ascertain or to prove a motive. As I have long argued, Evil does not require a motive…it simply is. If I had to speculate, I believe one of the Seven Deadly Sins was at play…Pride. Pride takes many forms, including a thirst for power and an unabashed arrogance.
Q. What kind of perception do you think a story like this leaves the American people? Do you feel it lends to the distrust of the justice department, or do you find there’s some saving grace in the fact that, in the end, Perez was ultimately caught, and everyone accused, exonerated?
"The fabric of so many lives was torn so violently."
A. The Wenatchee disaster has created great distrust for law enforcement in general. Yes, exonerations were ultimately achieved, but the fabric of so many lives was torn so violently, those children and adults can never go back to what they were before.
Q. Why should this concern Americans?
A. This should concern every American that knows the facts of the Wenatchee case. The point? That we must always remain ever vigilant. Justice isn’t a task that ends, it is ongoing and those seeking it can never rest.
Q. Finally, was justice served? As a former prosecutor, how do you think the government and law enforcement could have better handled this catastrophe? What steps were missed in handling this correctly?
A. That the truth came out at the end is some consolation, little as it is, but justice was not served. "Justice" would have required critical oversight of the cases. That did not happen. Justice would have required someone within the system having the backbone to stand up and declare "This is wrong." That didn’t happen. As in life, if you stand by and let injustice take place, blame is on you as well. Looking the other way as injustice takes its horrible toll is not acceptable. The wake it leaves behind is never-ending.
Fox Nation's ‘In the Valley of Sin’ documents the perseverance and resilience of the accused and their supporters in the face of overwhelming odds, untold suffering, and unthinkable accusations.
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