A bizarre case has emerged in Fort Worth, Texas, after a Navy veteran couple was arrested for sex abuse after the case was ignored by a detective assigned to crimes against children. The couple allegedly confessed to “teaching the teens about sex.”
Joe Ernesto “Joe” Ramos, 40, and Annetta Theresa Ramos, 31, were charged this week in Tarrant County on several counts of sexual-abuse crimes, the Fort Worth Sta-Telegram reported on Thursday. The couple allegedly confessed to a Fort Worth Police Department detective in 2014, but the crimes went unreported.
Detective Dennis Hutchins reportedly concluded that “quite a bit” – but not all – of the charges made by the children were true. For some reason undisclosed at this time, the detective did not pursue the charges and reportedly lied to Navy Criminal Investigative Service agents who inquired about the case because of the suspects being Nave Seabees. Hutchins was fired in July but is appealing his termination.
Affidavits state that the Ramos couple engaged in sexual activity to “teach” them about sex. Joe Ramos reportedly watched and instructed the male victim as he performed sexual acts on Annetta. She would “coach” the female victim as he performed sexual acts on her husband. At times the couple allegedly forced the girl to carry out the acts.
Fort Worth Childrens’ Protective Services investigators became involved in the case when a friend advised a high school counselor of the incidents.
Annetta Ramos reportedly stopped having sex with the young boy when he was 13 or 14 years old. She claimed she told her husband she would leave him if he forced her to continue. The boy allegedly reported the abuse when Joe Ramos said he was going to have another man have sex with the girl.
The young girl claimed she was forced to have sex with Ramos and that he would strike her or grab her if she tried to refuse.
Ramos allegedly told Hutchins he was going to stop having sex with the girl, but he continued without telling his wife.
Annette told the detective that there was nothing forceful about the sex. She claimed “it was gentle” and that it was “not rape or forceful,” according to the affidavit.
Hutchins worked for the Crimes Against Children division at the time, but failed to secure arrest warrants following his interview with the Ramos’. The case was assigned to another detective after it was learned he did not pursue charges.
Joe Ramos stands charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14. His wife faces similar charges. Both are being held at the Tarrant County Correctional Center on a bond of $500,000.
Hutchins is claiming his neglect was due to his being overworked and the department being understaffed.
Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. She has served as a prosecutor and associate judge in Texas. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2.
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