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Former Tigard karate teacher sentenced to 150 months in jail
Created on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 | Written by (none) |
Fulgencio 'Fred' Muniz pleads guilty to sex-abuse charges involving his former students
HILLSBORO - A former Tigard resident pled guilty Wednesday in Washington County Circuit Court to sex-abuse charges dating back more than a decade and was sentenced to 150 months in prison.
In the mid-1990s, Fulgencio 'Fred' Muniz, now 53 years old, owned the Upper Valley School of Karate, located at 12537 S.W. Main St., and taught there as well as at Westside Dance and Gymnastics Academy, at a studio in the Tigard Plaza shopping center and at his residence on Thorn Street, according to Jim Wolf, Tigard police public information officer.
Tigard police on July 11, 1995, arrested Muniz on multiple counts of sex abuse in connection with several female victims ranging in age from 8 to 15 years old who were his students. He posted bail Oct. 17, 1995, and apparently fled the state.
On June 27, 2007, Muniz was arrested in Fresno, Calif., on a charge of driving under the influence of intoxicants. He had been using his brother's identity, which is Ramon Garza Muniz, Wolf said.
Fresno police discovered his true identity and learned that Muniz had outstanding warrants in Oregon.
Muniz was extradited to Oregon on July 19, 2007, when he pled not guilty but remained in the Washington County Jail on several sex-abuse charges.
According to Wolf, some of the them were pre-Measure 11 charges, and others were post-Measure 11, which voters approved in November 1994 and requires mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes.
'The six victims are now adults,' Wolf said. 'This case is somewhat unique in that even 12 years later, our detective was able to pick up where the previous investigators left off. Many of the women had moved out of state, and some had changed their names.'
Tigard police Det. Dave Hockin was not even working for the department when the original charges were filed, according to Wolf.
'There was very good record-keeping by the original officers,' Wolf said. 'There were volumes to go through.'
Muniz remains in the Washington County Jail.
(link not active, page not found on original server: archive of article shown here below)
Former Tigard karate teacher sentenced to 150 months in jail
Created on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 | Written by (none) |
Fulgencio 'Fred' Muniz pleads guilty to sex-abuse charges involving his former students
HILLSBORO - A former Tigard resident pled guilty Wednesday in Washington County Circuit Court to sex-abuse charges dating back more than a decade and was sentenced to 150 months in prison.
In the mid-1990s, Fulgencio 'Fred' Muniz, now 53 years old, owned the Upper Valley School of Karate, located at 12537 S.W. Main St., and taught there as well as at Westside Dance and Gymnastics Academy, at a studio in the Tigard Plaza shopping center and at his residence on Thorn Street, according to Jim Wolf, Tigard police public information officer.
Tigard police on July 11, 1995, arrested Muniz on multiple counts of sex abuse in connection with several female victims ranging in age from 8 to 15 years old who were his students. He posted bail Oct. 17, 1995, and apparently fled the state.
On June 27, 2007, Muniz was arrested in Fresno, Calif., on a charge of driving under the influence of intoxicants. He had been using his brother's identity, which is Ramon Garza Muniz, Wolf said.
Fresno police discovered his true identity and learned that Muniz had outstanding warrants in Oregon.
Muniz was extradited to Oregon on July 19, 2007, when he pled not guilty but remained in the Washington County Jail on several sex-abuse charges.
According to Wolf, some of the them were pre-Measure 11 charges, and others were post-Measure 11, which voters approved in November 1994 and requires mandatory minimum sentences for certain crimes.
'The six victims are now adults,' Wolf said. 'This case is somewhat unique in that even 12 years later, our detective was able to pick up where the previous investigators left off. Many of the women had moved out of state, and some had changed their names.'
Tigard police Det. Dave Hockin was not even working for the department when the original charges were filed, according to Wolf.
'There was very good record-keeping by the original officers,' Wolf said. 'There were volumes to go through.'
Muniz remains in the Washington County Jail.
http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2008/02/former_tigard_karate_teacher_g.html
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Former Tigard karate teacher gets prison for sexually abusing students
by The Oregonian
Wednesday February 20, 2008, 6:09 PM
HILLSBORO -- Thirteen years after a teenage girl reported that a karate teacher was sexually abusing her in his Tigard studio, she can finally sleep better at night.
A fugitive since 1995, Fulgencio "Fred" Muniz, 53, was sentenced Wednesday to 12½ years in prison. He pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree sexual abuse, one count of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of failure to appear in court.
"The only consolation in all I've had to go through is that other girls had the opportunity to come forward and be protected," said the first victim to report the abuse.
Speaking before the sentencing, the woman, now 28, said she "never had the opportunity to free myself from his control," because Muniz fled Oregon not long after his 1995 arrest and release on bail. She said she suffered eating disorders and other psychological problems because of the abuse and the fear that Muniz was out there somewhere, waiting to get her.
So appearing in court to read a lengthy statement, she said, "is my way of standing up to him and saying, 'No, I'm not afraid of you anymore.'"
In the mid-1990s, Muniz ran The Upper Valley School of Karate, N.W. Karate Federation Dojo at 12537 S.W. Main St. in Tigard. He claimed to be a karate black belt, special forces/ military expert, paramedic, firefighter and former tribal police officer.
"Today we add one more identity to this list: convicted serial pedophile," said Paul Maloney, Washington County deputy district attorney.
Maloney said Muniz touched the girl between her legs and on her breasts under the guise of correcting her posture during private self-defense classes, but she noticed he didn't do the same in group classes.
When Muniz offered her a job, he told her he needed to examine her breasts for an insurance policy, and proceeded to touch her underneath her bra, Maloney said.
The girl finally told her mother, who called police.
After news of his arrest was publicized, three other girls, ages 8 through 12, reported that Muniz touched them sexually in an "individual instruction area." And one 13-year-old neighbor girl said Muniz groped her breasts and stroked her hair when she was taking her family's garbage to the curb on Southwest Thorn Street.
Some of the crimes happened before Measure 11, so sexual abuse did not yet carry a mandatory minimum prison sentence or $250,000 bail. Muniz was released pending trial and continued to give karate lessons to children from his home, in violation of his release agreement.
A hearing was set to revoke his release, but Muniz failed to appear. In a letter to his attorney, he railed against what he called false accusations and told his family to hold a service in his memory. "Life's torment has to stop," Muniz wrote.
By chance, he was arrested last summer in Fresno, Calif., on suspicion of drunken driving and using his brother's identity. Police matched his fingerprints to those of a fugitive wanted in Oregon.
Muniz said Wednesday that he regretted that he didn't deal with the charges in 1995. He said he suffered, as well, while on the run, missing his children's birthdays and family funerals. - Holly Danks; [email protected]
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Former Tigard karate teacher gets prison for sexually abusing students
by The Oregonian
Wednesday February 20, 2008, 6:09 PM
HILLSBORO -- Thirteen years after a teenage girl reported that a karate teacher was sexually abusing her in his Tigard studio, she can finally sleep better at night.
A fugitive since 1995, Fulgencio "Fred" Muniz, 53, was sentenced Wednesday to 12½ years in prison. He pleaded guilty to four counts of first-degree sexual abuse, one count of third-degree sexual abuse and one count of failure to appear in court.
"The only consolation in all I've had to go through is that other girls had the opportunity to come forward and be protected," said the first victim to report the abuse.
Speaking before the sentencing, the woman, now 28, said she "never had the opportunity to free myself from his control," because Muniz fled Oregon not long after his 1995 arrest and release on bail. She said she suffered eating disorders and other psychological problems because of the abuse and the fear that Muniz was out there somewhere, waiting to get her.
So appearing in court to read a lengthy statement, she said, "is my way of standing up to him and saying, 'No, I'm not afraid of you anymore.'"
In the mid-1990s, Muniz ran The Upper Valley School of Karate, N.W. Karate Federation Dojo at 12537 S.W. Main St. in Tigard. He claimed to be a karate black belt, special forces/ military expert, paramedic, firefighter and former tribal police officer.
"Today we add one more identity to this list: convicted serial pedophile," said Paul Maloney, Washington County deputy district attorney.
Maloney said Muniz touched the girl between her legs and on her breasts under the guise of correcting her posture during private self-defense classes, but she noticed he didn't do the same in group classes.
When Muniz offered her a job, he told her he needed to examine her breasts for an insurance policy, and proceeded to touch her underneath her bra, Maloney said.
The girl finally told her mother, who called police.
After news of his arrest was publicized, three other girls, ages 8 through 12, reported that Muniz touched them sexually in an "individual instruction area." And one 13-year-old neighbor girl said Muniz groped her breasts and stroked her hair when she was taking her family's garbage to the curb on Southwest Thorn Street.
Some of the crimes happened before Measure 11, so sexual abuse did not yet carry a mandatory minimum prison sentence or $250,000 bail. Muniz was released pending trial and continued to give karate lessons to children from his home, in violation of his release agreement.
A hearing was set to revoke his release, but Muniz failed to appear. In a letter to his attorney, he railed against what he called false accusations and told his family to hold a service in his memory. "Life's torment has to stop," Muniz wrote.
By chance, he was arrested last summer in Fresno, Calif., on suspicion of drunken driving and using his brother's identity. Police matched his fingerprints to those of a fugitive wanted in Oregon.
Muniz said Wednesday that he regretted that he didn't deal with the charges in 1995. He said he suffered, as well, while on the run, missing his children's birthdays and family funerals. - Holly Danks; [email protected]
http://www.oregonlive.com/washingtoncounty/index.ssf/2007/09/23-week/
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New charges in Tigard fugitive sex abuse case
by The Oregonian
Thursday September 27, 2007, 5:04 PM
TIGARD - After 12 years, authorities are bringing new charges against a former Tigard karate studio owner who fled in 1995 after being accused of sex abuse involving young girls and teenagers.
Fulgencio "Fred" Muniz was transferred to Washington County Jail this summer from Fresno, Calif. after police arrested him for drunken driving and learned he was wanted in Oregon.
Muniz was originally arrested on multiple charges of sex abuse after several female victims, ages 8-15, told police that they had been sexually abused by Muniz when they were students at his karate studio on Main Street. Since most of the crimes occurred before Oregon's Measure 11 statute was enacted, Muniz was able to post bail after his arrest in 1995 and flee, said Tigard Police Department spokesman Jim Wolf.
Continue reading "New charges in Tigard fugitive sex abuse case" »
(link not active, page not found on original server: archive of article shown here below)
New charges in Tigard fugitive sex abuse case
by The Oregonian
Thursday September 27, 2007, 5:04 PM
TIGARD - After 12 years, authorities are bringing new charges against a former Tigard karate studio owner who fled in 1995 after being accused of sex abuse involving young girls and teenagers.
Fulgencio "Fred" Muniz was transferred to Washington County Jail this summer from Fresno, Calif. after police arrested him for drunken driving and learned he was wanted in Oregon.
Muniz was originally arrested on multiple charges of sex abuse after several female victims, ages 8-15, told police that they had been sexually abused by Muniz when they were students at his karate studio on Main Street. Since most of the crimes occurred before Oregon's Measure 11 statute was enacted, Muniz was able to post bail after his arrest in 1995 and flee, said Tigard Police Department spokesman Jim Wolf.
Continue reading "New charges in Tigard fugitive sex abuse case" »