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Posted on Sat, Nov. 14, 2009 11:22 AM
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Another Mohler family member charged in child-abuse case


Darrel Mohler
Darrel Mohler
Breaking News

On Thursday, the brother of the alleged ringleader of a bizarre child sex ring said he found the alleged acts of his relatives — if true — unspeakable and repulsive.

On Friday, he found himself charged in the same case.

Darrel Wayne Mohler, 72, was arrested Friday night at his home in Silver Springs, Fla. He faces two counts of rape in a Lafayette County investigation that already has seen multiple charges against his brother and four nephews.

Authorities say the six men carried out a torrent of sex abuse against young relatives, including sodomy, bestiality and making girls as young as 5 put on “special dresses” and take part in mock weddings with grown men.

This latest charge was based on the allegations of a second woman, apparently the older sister of the woman who first came forward in August with her accusations of decades-old abuses that led to the earlier arrests.

Meanwhile, a Kansas City man arrested Thursday night, based on a TIPS hotline call, was released from the Lafayette County Jail. Lafayette County Sheriff Kerrick Alumbaugh did not go into detail about why the man, unrelated to the Mohlers, was arrested but said he was cooperating with the investigation.

Bond for the latest Mohler charged was set at $40,000 cash.

Marion County, Fla., authorities went to Mohler’s home about 7 p.m. Kansas City time on Friday, but he was not home.

“As our deputies were about to leave, he pulled up,” said Judge Cochran, public information officer for the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Mohler was arrested without incident.

According to Cochran, Mohler said he was aware of the Lafayette County case but had not been to Missouri since the 1980s.

Darrel Mohler is the brother of Burrell Mohler Sr., 77, who is already in custody. Much of the alleged abuse took place at Burrell Mohler Sr.’s house near Bates City, Mo., victims told investigators.

Others charged in the case are Burrell Mohler Sr.’s four sons: Burrell Mohler Jr., 53, Jared Mohler, 48, Roland Mohler, 47, and David Mohler, 52, all arrested Tuesday with their father.

The investigation is expected to expand next week with more charges, authorities said at a Friday afternoon press conference in Lexington.

According to court documents filed Friday, a 29-year-old woman told investigators that when she was about 6, Burrell Mohler Sr. took her and two of her sisters to a house for a “sleepover.” She said the girls were in a bedroom when they heard whispering in the next room.

Darrel Mohler allegedly then came into the bedroom and raped her and one of her sisters.

The woman alleged that after Darrel Mohler left, Burrell Mohler Sr. entered the room, where the girls were crying. Better be careful, he allegedly told them — waterbeds were known to pop and they might drown in their sleep.

The case broke when another woman, 26, came forward in August. Other alleged victims have since supported her stories of mock weddings and sexual assaults.

Investigators spent two days on a farm south of Bates City digging for jars the victims reportedly buried that contained notes of their abuse. They wanted somebody to someday know what happened to them, authorities said.

The search at the farm ended Thursday. Alumbaugh declined to comment on any evidence found.


@ Go to KansasCity.com for more photos and a video.

The Star’s Elaine Adams contributed to this report. To reach Donald Bradley, call 816-234-4182 or send e-mail to dbradley@kcstar.com

Posted on Sat, Nov. 14, 2009 11:22 AM
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