Ponchatoula, USA - Three children are the victims at the center of an alleged child-sex ring that operated out of a Ponchatoula church, a sheriff's detective testified in a preliminary hearing for six people accused of raping juveniles.
But the investigator said Wednesday that no physical evidence of occult activity has been found. Instead, the case is based mostly on statements made by one boy and two girls who claim they were forced into repeated sex acts with the accused, said Tangipahoa Parish sheriff's detective Mike DePhillips.
The preliminary hearing was held for Robbin Lamonica, Christopher Labat, Austin "Trey" Bernard, Paul Fontenot, Patricia Pierson and Allen Pierson. They were indicted by a grand jury on various counts of raping a child under the age of 12 - a charge that carries a possible death penalty.
Three other defendants, including the former pastor of the Hosanna Church, David Lamonica, were not in court.
"You heard today that they couldn't find any evidence of the occult, so that is a dead issue," said Assistant Public Defender Reginald McIntyre, who represents Fontenot and Patricia Pierson.
Prosecutor Don Wall said confirmed after the hearing that the occult element will not be a part of the state's case.
Before the indictments, investigators had said witnesses told them about occult-type activities. Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards had said that devil worship was the reason some of the defendants gave for their alleged participation.
Detectives also found no physical evidence of the abuse, except for some bodily fluids on bedding being analyzed by the State Police crime laboratory. DePhillips said. Although church members talked about taking photographs and videotapes of the alleged sex acts, none was found, DePhillips said.
After the hearing, defense attorneys said the lack of evidence showed their clients' innocence. Wall said the victims' information is strong enough to prosecute the case.
The defendants did not enter a plea. Arraignment is set in state district court for July