Cops Search Home Of Missing Girl's Uncle

Sex Offender Relative Was Last To See 12-Year-Old Vermont Girl

(CBS/ AP)  The investigation of the disappearance of a 12-year-old girl zeroed in on her uncle Monday, with police searching his home while he was being arraigned on sex charges in an unrelated case.

Michael Jacques, a registered sex offender who was one of the last people seen with Brooke Bennett before she vanished, pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated sexual assault and was held in lieu of $250,000 bail.

Jacques attorney, L. Brooke Dingledine, called the evidence against him in that case "very sparse."

Col. James Baker, the head of the Vermont State Police, called Jacques a "person of interest" in Brooke's case at a Monday press briefing. He said investigators began focusing on Jacques based on information developed over the weekend through computer forensics.

The other girl, a relative of Jacques', says he assaulted her over a five-year period, beginning when she was 9 years old and ending a few weeks ago, Orange County State's Attorney Will Porter said.

Authorities released an affidavit in which State Police Detective Sgt. William Jenkins said the girl told police that when she was 9 or 10, she was told - by telephone call and in a note left under her pillow - that she had been selected for enrollment in a "program for sex" and that Jacques was to be her trainer.

The girl, identified only as "A.R." in court papers, said she was told two other girls also were in the program. "The first who does it lives and the second gets her throat cut," she told police, according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, the girl said she met two other men besides Jacques who were affiliated with the program. But it didn't specify whether the girl said she had sex with the other men.

Baker said police were investigating whether the alleged sex ring actually existed or whether it was a ruse Jacques allegedly created to intimidate the girl into having sex with him.

"The State Police would like to speak with any child or teenager who may have had contact with Michael Jacques," Baker said.

At the home of Jacques, 42, in Randolph, Vermont State Police called in state police from Connecticut and Massachusetts and used a helicopter and dogs to search the area.

Jacques, who is married to a sister of Brooke's mother, dropped Brook off at a convenience store in Randolph on Wednesday.

She had told family members she was going to meet a friend and visit a hospitalized relative of the friend but police believe that was a lie. Investigators believe Brooke may have been bound for a meeting with an unknown individual with whom she had been communicating through an online social networking site.

"I am hoping and praying that she was not talking to anybody regularly," Brooke's mother, Cassandra Gagnon, told CBS' The Early Show.

Surveillance video showed Brooke and Jacques leaving the store and going in separate directions.

Brooke, who just finished seventh grade, has not been seen since.

Her sister, Savanna Andress, expressed her pain over Brooke's disappearance. Fighting back tears, Savanna told The Early Show, "She's my other half. And I'm starting to go crazy without her. She makes me happy when I need her, and I need her now."

The prosecutor had argued against the judge's decision to grant bail.

Jacques has 1993 convictions for kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault and there is "a threat of prejudicial violence to this particular juvenile complainant," said Porter, in arguing for no bail. "Her personal safety was threatened."

He also noted the serious nature of the crime, which could lead to a life prison term, and said Jacques had violated the terms of his probation.

[patriot12436]

I think the police have more evidence than they are letting on for now.

[nthsouth]

I HAVE 2 DAUGHTERS AGES 13 AND 15. I LET THEM KNOW SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT THERE ARE SICK PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD THAT WILL LIE TO THEM AND TRICK THEM SO THEY COULD HURT THEM AND POSSIBLY EVEN KILL THEM. AS A PARENT YOU WANT TO PRESERVE YOUR CHILDS INNOCENCE BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU WANT TO PROTECT THEM. I CHOOSE TO PROTECT MINE ANY WAY I CAN. I ALSO WANT MY CHILDREN TO RESPECT THE LAW BUT I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE WEARS A UNIFORM AND A BADGE THAT DOESN''T MEAN THEY''RE A NICE, RESPECTABLE PERSON

[mediamomma]

that''s not funny dragonwagon5. u have no idea how serious a situation that is. especially when it involves a family member.

[mainemade]

My thoughts and prayers are with the Bennett family.
I don''t believe there will be a good outcome in this case. I am horrified to think an uncle could do something like this. Kinda blows the theory "If you cant trust your family, who can you trust?!"

[mainemade]

"Cops Search Home Of Missing Girl''''s Uncle
*** Offender Relative Was Last To See 12-Year-Old Vermont Girl"

Well this is going to make future family reunions awkward.


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Posted by dragonwagon5 at 10:28 AM : Jul 01, 2008
+

That''s just plain SICK!!

[megamanx1-2009]

Ahh I thought it had been a while since we had a missing white woman syndrome story.

The Natalie Holloway thing had run its course....

here we go again...

[megamanx1-2009]

Sorry megaman, Had I read your post before I published, I wouldn''''t have sent it.


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Posted by dragonwagon5 at 11:02 AM : Jul 01, 2008

Eh, It just gets on my nerves that the only stories that get any national coverage are of white girls. Apparently, there are no minority girls who EVER get kidnapped, abducted, go missing, etc....

this coverage is biased, racist, and sick in my opinion...

[harp1963]

Put pedophiles in prision for life without the possibility of parole.

[faith_in_w]

I pray to Jesus everyday thay my children are safe from liberal pedophiles.

[kitty000]

It makes me wonder why this girl didn''t tell her parents about the phone call or show them or the police the note. The police are actually spending manpower on invewstigating if this *** ring exists!!! Crazy. I want to know just when this guy had time alone with this girl to molest her?

It sounds like we need to teach our young girls to say NO and mean NO. Don''t let some psycho get in your mind and manipulate you. That''s what he did manipulation. Every time I hear of some sweet young girl who was taken advantage of it always comes up that she KNEW *** was involved. I find it hard to believe that this young girl got manipulated in this way. It''s really sad.

[docadams3]

Liberal? It''s the FDLS and so-called conservative folks like that, who seem to be the more likely pedophiles... They can''t get women their own age to put up with their sorry hides.

[faith_in_w]

docadams3, conservatives would never do such things, only liberals would.

[mediamomma]

pedophiles should be publicly executed and the parents of the victims should be the ones allowed to perform the execution. i hope she wasn''t a victim of something like that, but sounds like odds are she was. it''s always a family member. u think u can trust someone. never trust anyone w/your kid except yourself. there''s no one to take better care of them than u.

I pray to Jesus everyday thay my children are safe from liberal pedophiles.

Posted by FAITH_IN_W at 11:08 AM : Jul 01, 2008

It''s too bad that you live in such fear. It''s also too bad that your fear is so misdirected. If you follow the news, you will learn that there are at least as many conservatives with sexually compulsive behavior. More, I think.

[nolalou]

The fact that the uncle and the missing girl were seen leaving a convenience store and going in different directions makes me wonder if in this case, the uncle had nothing to do with it, and she was meeting someone she had chatted with online. Either that, or she was meeting with someone that the uncle set her up with.

[navyjimfl]

I would feel better about that guy in Texas who executed the two buglars if he had executed 2 pedophiles instead.......

[bobnjersey]

[I pray to Jesus everyday thay my children are safe from liberal pedophiles. ]
[Posted by FAITH_IN_W at 11:08 AM : Jul 01, 2008]

yea ... but are they safe from you?

[smurfcrusher]

Apparently, "faith_in_W" prefers Conservative pedophiles.

[faith_in_w]

ge556, I follow the news. I''ll have you know that I watch FOXnews and CBN News. They inform me with what I need to know.

[faith_in_w]

bobnjersey, not if they misbehave! They will get a spanking. I run a christian house.

[faith_in_w]

smurfcrusher, there is no such thing as a republican pedophile.

[smurfcrusher]

Yes, I''m sure all those priests and their altarboys are total liberals.... hahaha

[megamanx1-2009]

DragonWagon and Megamax,

Why does everything have to be about race. Don''''t feel like your getting your piece of the pie? You both disgust me. Race of this girl should not matter. Dragon, you are a low life, poorly educated racist. I''''d bet my bottom dollar you are on some sort of government assistance. Idiots!


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Posted by codymac4 at 11:10 AM : Jul 01, 2008

Race SHOULDN''T matter. But apparently it does. Can you find any evidence to prove otherwise? You think it''s just a coincodence that all these stories about missing girls are of white girls? You think there''s fair and equal coverage but the only girls that go missing and get national coverage just happen to be white?? Get your head out of the sand...

Before you call ME a racist, when''s the last time you''ve seen CBS cover a story about a missing black, hispanic, or asian girl?? Don''t worry I can''t think of any either...

the last one I can think of was the Duke Lacrosse team thing and she wasn''t even missing. Oh, and she was a stripper. And the only reason that got national attention was because Al Sharpton got involved...

Are you going to deny that the coverage is one-sided??

[bobnjersey]

[not if they misbehave! They will get a spanking. I run a christian house.]
[Posted by FAITH_IN_W at 11:31 AM : Jul 01, 2008]

is that what you''re calling it?

[mediamomma]

a pedophile is a pedophile. period. it''s not a joking matter.

codymac4 - i was thinking the same thing.

[smurfcrusher]

By all means, someone who has "faith in W" is an IDEAL spokesperson for Conservatives.

Please, comment on!

[observer2020]

bobnjersey, not if they misbehave! They will get a spanking. I run a christian house.

Posted by FAITH_IN_W at 11:31 AM : Jul 01, 2008
___________________________________

Ah, admits to child abuse! Now THAT''S Christian! Talk about double standards.

[flreason]

FAITH_IN_W:

You''re just a seething mass of prejudice, aren''t you?! Once again you blame all deviant behavior on liberals. I guess all of those Catholic priests were left-wingers. Not to mention the Republican Representative from Florida, Mark Foley. Now there was a real radical! Boy Scout leaders, teachers, fundamentalist preachers and elders, Shriners...you can find pedophiles and child abusers in any group. So if you''re going to confine your prayers only to protection from liberals, you may be leaving your children vulnerable. For ACCURATE information on pedophiles and sexual predators, check out the Women Against Sexual Predators web site: www.waspohio.org

[smurfcrusher]

Very well done, flreason.

[feddupp]

How on EARTH could someone leave a 12-year-old ''alone'' with a CONVICTED *** OFFENDER!!!??

I don''t CARE if it was her "relative" or whatever, she should NEVER have been allowed to be near this person without adult supervision.

I don''t know if he''s guilty or NOT, but she shouldn''t have been with him, regardless!!

May God be with her, if she''s still alive!

[neenga]

I''ll have you know that I watch FOXnews and CBN News

FAITH, I''ll have you know CBN must be a new network?

[mediamomma]

i said it yesterday & i''ll say it again today. this is NOT about race. it''s about a missing child. one who now may possibly be the victim of her pedophile uncle & may very well be dead somewhere. the local news last nite even said that the uncle was the one to "find" her article of clothing near the floating bridge (he probably planted it there to throw off the police). so it looks like he probably did have a hand in her disappearance. this news site does not have all the facts posted here so people from outside vt aren''t getting the whole story. so stop putting race into this. concentrate your efforts on finding her. even if she''s not alive she deserves to be found.

[bobnjersey]

[Please quit talking. You are making every other conservative on here look like an idiot.]
[Posted by codymac4 at 11:37 AM : Jul 01, 2008]

it''s intentional.

[neenga]

"did this child tell her parents about this phone call or show the note?"

I don''t think these people are brain surgeons, so probably never talked to her about her uncle''s "activities" or threats from strangers.

[faith_in_w]

flreason, I see you now believe prayer is the only way to protect children from harmful individuals (that always happen to be liberal).

[faith_in_w]

neenga, no the Christian Broadcat Network has been on for many years. It has CBN News, the 700 club, and lots of other fine programming suitable for christian viewing.

[mediabrat60]

"flreason, I see you now believe prayer is the only way to protect children from harmful individuals (that always happen to be liberal).
Posted by faith_in_W"

faith...are you really that stupid?

[faith_in_w]

bobnjersey, no I am not, I live in America.

[faith_in_w]

mediabrat60, I do not see your point.

[ici2i]

I run a christian house.

Posted by FAITH_IN_W

NO, NO, don''t stop talking!!! Your arrogance, ignorance and holy-than-thou Christian, bigotted, repugnant ways are good for all to see. Yes, we want to wrap all of your type in one neat bow as the stereotypical conservative of today....beautiful!! Maybe you''d like to spend a little quality time with a certain priest from my area.
Open mouth, insert foot!

[faith_in_w]

codymac4, yes its a wonderful show.

[lambofgoth]

People... Its well established that Faith is a troll. Probably the same idiot as Christian Soccer Mom or whatever they called themselves. He gave it away a week ago where he really stood.

[faith_in_w]

iCi2i, thank you. I hope others see my example and follow me on the path of Jesus.

[lambofgoth]

http://profiles.yahoo.com/faith_in_w

[faith_in_w]

lambofgoth, I dont known what you mean.

[observer2020]

lambofgoth--I agree.

[bobnjersey]

[What''''s the point?]
[Posted by codymac4 at 11:54 AM : Jul 01, 2008]

it''s an online message thread ... a ''point'' is not a requirement.

[megamanx1-2009]

Absolutely. First,there is a higher murder rate for white children then black children, so you should expect mor media coverage. There was plenty of media coverage around the Atlanta Child Murders, Chioma Gray Alicia Wilbourne and several others. I do have a problem with DragonWagon going "let''''s go find whitey". What the H e l l is that all about?



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Posted by codymac4 at 11:41 AM : Jul 01, 2008



I''ve never even heard of The Atlanta Child Murders, Chioma Gray, or Alicia Wilbourne so obviously they didn''t get THAT much coverage...And I''m not just talking about local coverage I''m talking about NATIONAL. This girl is all the way in Vermont and she''s getting heavy coverage out here in California. No minority missing child would get that. And there are plenty black children being abducted. You know where they go? They are up on a little "Have you seen me?" sign next to 12 other missing black and mexican kids posted inside a walmart for everyone to ignore as they shop for detergent.....

Hardly national news coverage....

[faith_in_w]

I think the uncle is a liberal. My clue is that he did jailtime.

[megamanx1-2009]

i said it yesterday & i''''ll say it again today. this is NOT about race. it''''s about a missing child. one who now may possibly be the victim of her pedophile uncle & may very well be dead somewhere. the local news last nite even said that the uncle was the one to "find" her article of clothing near the floating bridge (he probably planted it there to throw off the police). so it looks like he probably did have a hand in her disappearance. this news site does not have all the facts posted here so people from outside vt aren''''t getting the whole story. so stop putting race into this. concentrate your efforts on finding her. even if she''''s not alive she deserves to be found.


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Posted by mediamomma at 11:50 AM : Jul 01, 2008

Yes. Another missing child. Who just happens to be white. Just like Natalie holloway, elizabeth smart, and countless other missing children.....who just happened to be white. Just a coincodence though...