ABUSE SUSPECT RECORD REVEALED ARRAIGNMENT PUT OFF IN MOLESTATION CASE.Byline: Alex Dobuzinskis Staff Writer BURBANK - A 39-year-old Burbank man charged in the molestation molestation n. the crime of sexual acts with children up to the age of 18, including touching of private parts, exposure of genitalia, taking of pornographic pictures, rape, inducement of sexual acts with the molester or with other children, and variations of these of an 11-year-old boy has a prior sex-offense conviction, a police lieutenant said Monday. Mark Richard Ehlers was scheduled to be arraigned Monday at Burbank Superior Court, but his arraignment A criminal proceeding at which the defendant is officially called before a court of competent jurisdiction, informed of the offense charged in the complaint, information, indictment, or other charging document, and asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or as otherwise permitted was postponed to March 30. Ehlers was convicted in Florida of sexual battery with force, said Lt. Dave Gabriel of the Burbank Police Department The Burbank Police Department is the police department serving Burbank, California. Tim Stehr became the Police Chief of the department on August 1, 2007. The previous chiefs were Thomas Hoefel, David Newsham and Glen Bell. . Before moving to Burbank, Ehlers lived in Glendale and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Gabriel said he did not know what Ehlers' occupation was. Ehlers is charged in an aggravated forcible lewd act upon a child, an attempted lewd act on a child and false imprisonment false imprisonment, complete restraint upon a person's liberty of movement without legal justification. Actual physical contact is not necessary; a show of authority or a threat of force is sufficient. The person falsely imprisoned may sue the offender for damages. by violence, said Sandi Gibbons Famous people named Gibbons include:
``We're looking at state prison,'' said Gibbons, adding that Ehlers faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole. The 11-year-old boy in the case is from Burbank. Ehlers befriended the boy and his family and presented himself as a substitute teacher, although police have found no indication that Ehlers taught, Gabriel said. Police believe that was a ruse by Ehlers to win the confidence of the boy's parents. Ehlers also gave toys and gifts to the boy, Gabriel said. ``It's a typical kind of ploy'' for child molesters, Gabriel said. Gibbons said the forcible lewd act occurred Jan. 16 and the attempted lewd act and forced imprisonment Imprisonment See also Isolation. Alcatraz Island former federal maximum security penitentiary, near San Francisco; “escapeproof.” [Am. Hist.: Flexner, 218] Altmark, the German prison ship in World War II. [Br. Hist. occurred March 15, with all three offenses that are alleged involving the same victim. Police say they are trying to determine whether there are other children Ehlers might have molested mo·lest tr.v. mo·lest·ed, mo·lest·ing, mo·lests 1. To disturb, interfere with, or annoy. 2. To subject to unwanted or improper sexual activity. . Police found evidence at Ehlers' home that indicates there might be other victims, Gabriel said. ``We're waiting for the public to respond to us'' and to find out ``if anyone else has experienced their children having any contact with him,'' Gabriel said. Ehlers turned himself in Thursday just as the Police Department was holding a news conference to announce that a warrant had been issued for his arrest. Police feared that Ehlers might try to evade capture and return to Florida. Ehlers is being held at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility The Twin Towers Correctional Facility, also referred to in the media as Twin Towers Jail, is a complex erected in Los Angeles, California to house inmates of the Los Angeles County Courts. It is the world’s largest jail. in lieu of $1.2 million bail. Burbank police asked that anyone with information about Ehlers contact Detective Gerry Misquez at (818) 238-3245. Alex Dobuzinskis, (818) 546-3304 alex.dobuzinskis(at)dailynews.com |
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