FOX44NOW.COM - Burlington/Plattsburgh News, Weather and SportsNew Information in the Brooke Bennett Case
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More information in the disappearance and death of a Randolph pre-teen. New charges against Brooke Bennett's former step-father -- Ray Gagnon -- released Monday, in his former home-state of Alabama -- for child porn. And uncle Michael Jacques was officially arraigned on federal kidnapping charges.
Last week Jacques was charged with aggravated sexual assault on a teen relative. Now, those state charges have been dropped to make way for the more serious federal charges of kidnapping his niece, Bennett. And those charges could become even more serious once investigators figure out just what caused the 12-year-old's death.
According to Vermont Attorney General William Sorrell, "a lot of work done over the holiday and a lot of work remaining to be done."
Monday prosecutors announced that Bennett was killed, investigators are still trying to figure out how. But Michael Jacques is being held until his trial because of his history of criminal violence. He was convicted in 1993 of the aggravated sexual assault and kidnapping of an 18-year-old woman. The US attorney say Jacques is a danger to the public.
No plans for charges against the girl police say helped Jacques to kidnap Bennett. Court records say a teenage relative -- who he's accused of sexually assaulting -- helped lure Bennett to his home. In an interview the girl told police Jacques planned to initiate Bennett into a sex program called Breckenridge. Court papers say Jacques used an elaborate scheme, with several email addresses, under aliases, to make the girl believe she was part of a larger sex ring. Prosecutors say that shows Jacques used fear and sex to manipulate the relative into helping him.
Currently Bennett's former step-dad, Ray Gagnon, has only been charged with trying to get in the way of the investigation by destroying evidence. But court papers say investigators still aren't sure if he played any role in the alleged kidnapping.
Both men will be back in court at the end of next week on these charges.
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