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Marshall paramedic in custody in Lafayette County; charged with sex crime

Wednesday, November 11, 2009
By KATHY FAIRCHILD/Staff Writer

Roland Moher
(Contributed photo)
[Click to enlarge]

The abundant sunshine outside was nowhere evident inside a conference room at Gene Darnell Justice Center in Lexington Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 11, as Lafayette County Sheriff Kerrick Alumbaugh read the names of five men, a father and four sons, who were arrested and charged Tuesday, Nov. 10, with multiple counts of sex crimes perpetrated against children.

Among the sons is Roland Neil Mohler, 47, of Bates City, a paramedic, who until yesterday was an active member of the staff of Saline County Ambulance District #3 in Marshall. He is being held on a $30,000 cash-only bond, and is expected to make an appearance in court tomorrow

Flanked by Lafayette County Prosecuting Attorney Kellie Wingate Ritchie, Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jim Kanatzar and members of the Rural Missouri Major Case Squad, Alumbaugh said the investigation began in August, when one of the victims came forward with information. The crimes are alleged to have occurred between 1988 and 1995, when all the victims, now in their 20s and 30s, were juveniles.

Roland Mohler, who was hired at SCAD #3 in 2006, was charged with class C felony use of a child in a sexual performance. According to information in the probable cause statement, the victim, alleged to be one of Burrell E. Mohler Jr.'s children, said Roland Mohler, his father, the victim's father and one of the remaining two brothers, were all present when she was forced to engage in bestiality.

The victims have also told authorities they were forced to engage in mock wedding ceremonies, after which they were molested and one said she was forced to have an abortion after she became pregnant at age 11.

Alumbaugh said a search is currently underway at a Bates City address, where law enforcement officers are looking for glass jars with letters or notes inside them, detailing the abuse, that the victims say they buried on the property. Authorities are also looking for "a body or possibly bodies," he said, based on accounts of killings from the victims.

Although there were no allegations that there are victims in Saline County, Alumbaugh said there "probably are" other victims.

"I believe there are other victims, and so does every investigator on the case," he said. "And we take this personally. We think about our own children and every child we know," in situations like this one.

Alumbaugh urged anyone who thinks they may have been victimized by these five men, or knows anyone who went missing in the time period between 1988 and 1995 to come forward with information.

"We hope this news conference will lead to more people bringing us information," he said. Contact the TIPS Hotline at 660-259-6789 or 816-474-TIPS.

Charges contained in reports provided by law enforcement officials are not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting charges must be presented before a jury, whose duty is to determine if the accused is guilty or not guilty of the charges.

Contact Kathy Fairchild at marshallhealth@socket.net

Comments

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Dr. Engler http://www.kctv5.com/news/13915713/detai... - August 2007. This is so sickening!

-- Posted by Air Force Wife on Fri, Nov 13, 2009, at 9:04 AM

mama11,

Perhaps I missed the headlines, but I never heard about a physician, a DJ, or undocumented workers being convicted of sex crimes. When did this occur?

-- Posted by Owl12345 on Thu, Nov 12, 2009, at 10:19 PM

Response by Eric Crump/Editor:

DJ, July 2007:

www.marshallnews.com/story/1231501.html

www.marshallnews.com/story/1477871.html

I can't remember the name of the doctor, but the case was just a few months after Handel was arrested, I think. The guy worked at Fitz ER but didn't live in Marshall, as I recall. The case was similar to Handel's, I think -- use of the internet to attempt to entice a minor to have sex.

Thank goodness for that Eric.

No matter what the sentence, they will never receive the amount of punishment they deserve for this. They stole a child's innocence and probably her self esteem with it. I just pray that they get thier dose of karma soon. They've gone too long without consequences. What scares me most of all, is knowing there are sick and horrible people in our community, people that we may speak to daily, that do these retched things right under our noses.

-- Posted by speedfingers on Thu, Nov 12, 2009, at 4:32 PM

what is this world comming to i have a little girl and im scared for her may God have mercy on there soul cause i dont

-- Posted by jamesjrmo on Thu, Nov 12, 2009, at 8:48 AM

I heard on the radio this morning that some of the others involved were preists....You just cant trust anyone anymore.

-- Posted by speedfingers on Thu, Nov 12, 2009, at 8:47 AM

Response by Eric Crump/Editor:

Three of the men were lay ministers in the Community of Christ church. News reports I've seen indicate their licenses have been suspended by the church.

Prison will be the best place for these people. The death penalty is to final for them. Does anyone have any idea what their fellow inmates, who have children, will do with these people given the opportunity?

-- Posted by red dog on Thu, Nov 12, 2009, at 6:11 AM

If these people are convicted, they deserve the dealth penalty. To bad Missouri and our Country doesn't allow the death penalty for these cases.

However it's not guilty until proven innocent in our country either... If Roland Mohler is found innocent or the charge is thrown out, then SCAD may not have any choice but to employ him or be sued?? That's something to think about...wew

Something wrong with this bunch don't ya think!

-- Posted by Gumby on Thu, Nov 12, 2009, at 12:52 AM

If he's charged I don't think we have to worry about him ever getting a job again anywhere. Except maybe doing laundry in prison for the rest of his life.

-- Posted by BigPoppi on Thu, Nov 12, 2009, at 12:35 AM

I am so sick at this story!!! And to believe that he was working on a ambulance in Marshall.. He proably helped little childern when they were hurt and that us just to sick!!! I hope he goes away. along with his family, for a long time... And hope he never gets a job in Marshall again!!!

-- Posted by missouriwoman3 on Wed, Nov 11, 2009, at 7:59 PM

Wow-we have had a physician, a DJ, a few preachers, undocumented workers and now a paramedic arrested and charged with sexual contact with children. Seriously-what is going on with oour area?

-- Posted by mama11 on Wed, Nov 11, 2009, at 7:55 PM

It's also on msnbc and several other sites.

-- Posted by Kathy Fairchild on Wed, Nov 11, 2009, at 6:45 PM

This has gone national. The link to the AP's report.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091111/ap_o...

-- Posted by Night Sky on Wed, Nov 11, 2009, at 6:03 PM

My thoughts and prayers are with these victims.

-- Posted by kkmom on Wed, Nov 11, 2009, at 5:32 PM