http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20101004/ARTICLES/101009875
Parents of abuse victims tell of anguish after karate instructor's sentencing
By Veronica Gonzalez
[email protected]
Published: Monday, October 4, 2010 at 10:32 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, October 4, 2010 at 6:03 p.m.
Karate instructor John Maisenhelder arrived at the New Hanover County courthouse Monday as a free man with his wife at his side. More than two dozen supporters flooded a dimly-lit hallway and embraced the 62-year-old as he made his way to the courtroom.
He left with bailiffs through a side door, a convicted child molester reviled by the parents of seven girls whom he abused in his after-school program. The girls were 6 to 9 years old at the time.
Maisenhelder's sentencing touched off a heated debate on what the proper punishment should have been, while supporters continued to proclaim his innocence.
Superior Court Judge Jack Jenkins sentenced Maisenhelder to roughly a year in prison followed by five years of probation, and he's required to register as a sex offender.
"You deserve to be gone for life, but unfortunately, our laws don't allow that," one parent said before he was sentenced.
As his trial was set to begin Monday morning, Maisenhelder entered an Alford plea to seven charges of indecent liberties with a minor. An Alford plea means a defendant does not admit guilt, but acknowledges that enough evidence exists for a conviction.
He entered the plea as part of an agreement to drop a felony charge of first-degree sexual offense, which carries a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison.
By contrast, the penalty for indecent liberties ranges from probation to two years in prison.
Maisenhelder, who has been married 42 years and ran an after-school program called Creative After School Training in Wilmington, was expressionless throughout the proceedings.
Prosecutor Connie Jordan said she offered Maisenhelder the plea so his young victims wouldn't have to testify against him, and she wanted to ensure he served time.
"All of them would have had to testify, which is why this plea is so wonderful," she said. "It was going to be a very traumatic thing for those girls. To avoid this and get some prison time for him was very important to us."
The StarNews does not name victims of sex crimes.
Jordan said she discussed the plea arrangement with the families of the victims, and they agreed it was best to avoid putting the children on the witness stand.
Before the judge sentenced Maisenhelder, three of the victims' mothers and one father spoke about how Maisenhelder's abuse had affected their daughters and how difficult it had been to accept his sentence.
"Mr. Maisenhelder is a classic pedophile," said one of the victim's parents, choking up and sobbing as she tried to read her statement. "He is a master manipulator of children and adults.
"...The only reason I am in favor of this plea is to protect my daughter from any further exposure to this man," she said.
Another woman spoke about how she and her family initially refused to believe the allegations against Maisenhelder, and how eventually, she was sickened to discover the allegations to be true.
"We placed our children in his care, trusted him, relied on him only to discover we paid him money to have his way with our then-6-year-old daughter," she said, calling him a monster who stole her child's innocence. "Sixteen months in jail seems hardly sufficient for the crimes he committed."
The charges surfaced last year when a victim came forward saying Maisenhelder had molested them, and he was first arrested June 10, 2009.
When Jordan read the factual basis for Maisenhelder's plea, it sounded like a litany of every parent's worst nightmare, and some people in the audience covered their faces, crying.
Jordan said Maisenhelder fondled victims' chests while they were on his lap doing homework. He rubbed their thighs and private parts. He stuck fingers in victims' mouths. In some instances, he made girls touch his penis.
Some of his employees started noticing Maisenhelder's behavior.
"They had been witnessing things they felt were inappropriate, but weren't sure what was going on," Jordan said. "His hand would pull away or he would stop what he was doing."
A sheriff's office detective wired one of the workers with a hidden camera to record Maisenhelder and ended up with footage showing "very disturbing behavior the state believes depicts indecent liberties with children."
Maisenhelder's attorney, Woody White, disputed how the victims were interviewed and tried to downplay his client's behavior by saying he "crossed boundaries."
"In this day and age, you don't do those things," White said, adding Maisenhelder never took children into his office or a private place.
"He was always in a public place," he said. "The finger in the mouth – John doesn't offer an explanation for that."
Maisenhelder's supporters left the courtroom without speaking to the media.
Veronica Gonzalez: 343-2008
On Twitter.com: @StarNewsCrime
Parents of abuse victims tell of anguish after karate instructor's sentencing
By Veronica Gonzalez
[email protected]
Published: Monday, October 4, 2010 at 10:32 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, October 4, 2010 at 6:03 p.m.
Karate instructor John Maisenhelder arrived at the New Hanover County courthouse Monday as a free man with his wife at his side. More than two dozen supporters flooded a dimly-lit hallway and embraced the 62-year-old as he made his way to the courtroom.
He left with bailiffs through a side door, a convicted child molester reviled by the parents of seven girls whom he abused in his after-school program. The girls were 6 to 9 years old at the time.
Maisenhelder's sentencing touched off a heated debate on what the proper punishment should have been, while supporters continued to proclaim his innocence.
Superior Court Judge Jack Jenkins sentenced Maisenhelder to roughly a year in prison followed by five years of probation, and he's required to register as a sex offender.
"You deserve to be gone for life, but unfortunately, our laws don't allow that," one parent said before he was sentenced.
As his trial was set to begin Monday morning, Maisenhelder entered an Alford plea to seven charges of indecent liberties with a minor. An Alford plea means a defendant does not admit guilt, but acknowledges that enough evidence exists for a conviction.
He entered the plea as part of an agreement to drop a felony charge of first-degree sexual offense, which carries a maximum penalty of 12 years in prison.
By contrast, the penalty for indecent liberties ranges from probation to two years in prison.
Maisenhelder, who has been married 42 years and ran an after-school program called Creative After School Training in Wilmington, was expressionless throughout the proceedings.
Prosecutor Connie Jordan said she offered Maisenhelder the plea so his young victims wouldn't have to testify against him, and she wanted to ensure he served time.
"All of them would have had to testify, which is why this plea is so wonderful," she said. "It was going to be a very traumatic thing for those girls. To avoid this and get some prison time for him was very important to us."
The StarNews does not name victims of sex crimes.
Jordan said she discussed the plea arrangement with the families of the victims, and they agreed it was best to avoid putting the children on the witness stand.
Before the judge sentenced Maisenhelder, three of the victims' mothers and one father spoke about how Maisenhelder's abuse had affected their daughters and how difficult it had been to accept his sentence.
"Mr. Maisenhelder is a classic pedophile," said one of the victim's parents, choking up and sobbing as she tried to read her statement. "He is a master manipulator of children and adults.
"...The only reason I am in favor of this plea is to protect my daughter from any further exposure to this man," she said.
Another woman spoke about how she and her family initially refused to believe the allegations against Maisenhelder, and how eventually, she was sickened to discover the allegations to be true.
"We placed our children in his care, trusted him, relied on him only to discover we paid him money to have his way with our then-6-year-old daughter," she said, calling him a monster who stole her child's innocence. "Sixteen months in jail seems hardly sufficient for the crimes he committed."
The charges surfaced last year when a victim came forward saying Maisenhelder had molested them, and he was first arrested June 10, 2009.
When Jordan read the factual basis for Maisenhelder's plea, it sounded like a litany of every parent's worst nightmare, and some people in the audience covered their faces, crying.
Jordan said Maisenhelder fondled victims' chests while they were on his lap doing homework. He rubbed their thighs and private parts. He stuck fingers in victims' mouths. In some instances, he made girls touch his penis.
Some of his employees started noticing Maisenhelder's behavior.
"They had been witnessing things they felt were inappropriate, but weren't sure what was going on," Jordan said. "His hand would pull away or he would stop what he was doing."
A sheriff's office detective wired one of the workers with a hidden camera to record Maisenhelder and ended up with footage showing "very disturbing behavior the state believes depicts indecent liberties with children."
Maisenhelder's attorney, Woody White, disputed how the victims were interviewed and tried to downplay his client's behavior by saying he "crossed boundaries."
"In this day and age, you don't do those things," White said, adding Maisenhelder never took children into his office or a private place.
"He was always in a public place," he said. "The finger in the mouth – John doesn't offer an explanation for that."
Maisenhelder's supporters left the courtroom without speaking to the media.
Veronica Gonzalez: 343-2008
On Twitter.com: @StarNewsCrime
http://www.wwaytv3.com/parents_law_enforcement_meet_discuss_after_school_program_owner/06/2009
Parents, law enforcement meet to discuss after school program owner
Submitted by WWAY on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 9:58am.
Parents of children enrolled at a Wilmington after school program met Thursday night to learn about the charges filed against the program's owner. Investigators notified the families of 42 children about the closed-door meeting with law enforcement and the district attorney’s office.
Sixty-one-year-old John Maisenhelder, who owns Creative After School Training, or CAST, faces three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child.
After the meeting, one parent said they learned police have video of Maisenhelder inappropriately touching children. Some parents cannot believe the accusations. Parent Natsumi Ueki said, "I personally asked my boy, one of my boys, and he said he never did anything wrong to him. He just has been a wonderful, wonderful karate teacher for my boys." Maisenhelder is in the New Hanover County Jail under $500,000 secured bond, reduced from $1 million dollars. If parents have concerns about this investigation, they can call sheriff's detectives at 910-279-9973.
Disclaimer: Comments posted on this, or any story are opinions of those people posting them, and not the views or opinions of WWAY NewsChannel 3, its management or employees. You can view our comment policy here.
Parents, law enforcement meet to discuss after school program owner
Submitted by WWAY on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 9:58am.
Parents of children enrolled at a Wilmington after school program met Thursday night to learn about the charges filed against the program's owner. Investigators notified the families of 42 children about the closed-door meeting with law enforcement and the district attorney’s office.
Sixty-one-year-old John Maisenhelder, who owns Creative After School Training, or CAST, faces three counts of taking indecent liberties with a child.
After the meeting, one parent said they learned police have video of Maisenhelder inappropriately touching children. Some parents cannot believe the accusations. Parent Natsumi Ueki said, "I personally asked my boy, one of my boys, and he said he never did anything wrong to him. He just has been a wonderful, wonderful karate teacher for my boys." Maisenhelder is in the New Hanover County Jail under $500,000 secured bond, reduced from $1 million dollars. If parents have concerns about this investigation, they can call sheriff's detectives at 910-279-9973.
Disclaimer: Comments posted on this, or any story are opinions of those people posting them, and not the views or opinions of WWAY NewsChannel 3, its management or employees. You can view our comment policy here.