May 24, 2012
11pm 6/23/11: Pete Bowen Laughs at 302 Year Sentencing
6pm Thursday: Foster "Pete" Bowen Sentenced to a Minimum of 302 Years in Prison
Update: Foster "Pete" Bowen Found Guilty on All 34 Counts in Sexual Abuse Case
11pm 4/27/11: Jury to Begin Deliberations
6pm 4/27/11: Case in Jury's Hands
11pm 4/26/11: Bowen Takes Stand
6pm 4/26/11: Bowen Takes Stand in Own Defense
6pm 4/25/11: Witnesses Testify in Bowen's Defense
6pm 4/21/11: Accused Child Molestor's Wife Testifies in Husband's Defense
6pm 4/20/11: EXCLUSIVE/Parents of Victim Speak Out
11pm 4/18/11: Testimony Begins
Midday 4/20/11: Day 3 of Testimony
6pm 4/19/11: Day 2 of Emotional Testimony
RAW INTERVIEW: Chris Chiles on Bowen Case
6pm 4/12/11: Jury Selection Underway
6pm 10/1/10: Bond Reduction Denied
6pm 9/29/10: Bowen Pleads Not Guilty to Sexual Abuse
6pm 8/27/10: Bowen Appears in Court
RAW VIDEO: Bowen Walk to Court
RAW INTERVIEW: "Pete" Bowen's son
5pm 8/23/10: More Alleged Victims Surface
11pm: UPDATE: Bowen Arraigned from Jail
UPDATE 6/23/11 @ 2:20 p.m.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A powerful message went out to juvenile sex abusers today, all coming as a former Huntington police captain headed off to prison.
At Pete Bowen’s sentencing the judge said the 81 year old may have committed more acts of rape than anyone in West Virginia history.
The overwhelming raw emotion from victim after victim speaking before sentenced was passed offered some closure - after so many young lives were devastated by a man so many call a monster.
The 81 year old was sentenced to 302 years in prison with out a chance for parole.
One victim said he hoped Pete Bowen lived through it all.
Judge Paul Farrell said the 9 abuse victims who testified were likely a small fraction of the then teenage boys Pete Bowen molested - committing maybe tens of thousand of juvenile rapes.
Today, some of those now adult men raged against their tormentor.
Like Shane Wilburn; "You changed my life forever," said Shane Wilburn. "You killed the boy I was and the man I would become.”
“At 27 years old I had to endure the embarrassment of saying in public of the oral sex I performed daily for four years of my childhood,” said Sammy Hodge.
Some parents of Pete Bowen’s young victims spoke of a policeman's broken trust - and monstrous acts - even against his own family.
“You are the devils' brother," one parent said. "I could have killed you that day; I had the means and the anger. But I did not, waiting for this day to come.”
"Today is the day to say goodbye to Pete Bowen," Sammy Hodge added. "I hope you live forever, to feel the pain of we had to endure.”
The judge said sentencing Bowen to three centuries in prison was symbolic of the unparalleled outrage he and society at large have with this criminal case.
Bowen refused to speak on his own behalf, his family said no comment.
As Bowen left the courtroom he made an obscene gesture to the media.
He has the right to appeal - no word if that will happen.
UPDATE 6/23/11 @ 2:20 p.m.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A former Huntington police captain will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Foster "Pete" Bowen was sentenced Thursday afternoon to a minimum of 302 years in prison. The maximum sentence is 590 years.
The 81-year-old was found guilty in April on 34 counts of sexual abuse and sexual assault.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on this story.
In April, a Cabell County jury found Foster “Pete” Bowen guilty on 34 counts of sexual abuse and sexual assault.
Eight men said they were abused as young boys. The abuse took place between 1981 and 2003.
The 81-year-old could face a maximum sentence of well over 400 years.
The sentencing is set for 1:30 p.m. in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Bowen is a former police captain in Huntington.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on this story.
Emotion hit its peak this afternoon when the verdict was read.
Victims and their family members erupted into quiet tears at the reading of the first guilty verdict. By, the time the 34th guilty count was read, some victims were openly sobbing--years of pain, fear and guilt finally released.
“Guilty in the charge of sexual assault,” read the judge.
Pete Bowen was rock steady showing no visible emotion as Judge Paul Farrell read 34 guilty verdicts. After court, his family holding on to each other for support they left the building quietly.
Meanwhile, the victims take that first long-awaited step toward healing. Shane Wilburn--no longer hiding his identity--was the first victim to come forward to police.
“I never thought this day would come. I can finally move forward and close the door on this,” said Shane.
Another victim, still wishing to remain anonymous, has strong words for what's proven to be an excruciating process.
“I can never forgive him for what he did to me. That man is a monster,” said the victim.
“They have my utmost respect and admiration to have the courage they had to get on the witness stand in front of 14 strangers and tell them about these terrible things that happened to them,” said Chris Chiles, Cabell County Prosecutor.
“I believe an innocent man has been convicted here today based on very weak evidence, inconsistent evidence, evidence that is so far beyond the realm of belief—logical or common sense,” said Jay Love, Bowen’s defense attorney.
But, this once trusted pillar of the community is now headed to prison labeled a child molester.
The jury deliberated for nearly six hours. Bowen could face a maximum sentence of well over 400 years. He’s 81-years-old. So, there's no doubt whatever he receives will be the equivalent of a life sentence. Bowen will be sentenced on June 23.
UPDATE 4/28/11 @ 2:40 p.m.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- After seven emotional days of testimony and nearly six hours of deliberations, a verdict was reached in the Foster "Pete" Bowen sexual abuse case.
Jurors found Bowen guilty on all 34 counts of sexual abuse and sexual assault of the indictment.
"I can finally go on with my life and put all of this behind me," said Shane Wilburn, one of the seven victims listed in the indictment.
"He's a monster and I'll never forgive him for what he did to me," said another victim listed in the indictment.
"We're thrilled justice was served and I have so much admiration for these victims who sat before 14 strangers and bared their souls sharing these unspeakable acts they suffered. We couldn't have won this case without them," said Chris Chiles, Cabell County Prosecutor.
"I believe and will always believe that an innocent man was convicted here today," said Jay Love, Bowen's attorney.
He will be sentenced on June 23.
More coming from the courtroom.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on the trial.
Everyone is being gathered in the courtroom at this moment.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
For the alleged victims, a guilty verdict would mean peace of mind in knowing the man they allege preyed upon them and repeatedly sexually abused them is off the streets. For Bowen's family, a not guilty verdict means validation that he is the trusted man and respectful pillar in the community they always knew him to be.
Bowen looked calm Thursday morning as jurors were given their final instructions and sent off to deliberate. Wednesday's closing arguments proved to be emotional. Attorneys went through each victim listed in the indictment recounting graphic testimony of the sexual acts they allege Bowen subjected them to. The prosecution asked jurors how seven people, some of whom didn’t know each other, could come up with such similar stories if they weren't true. The defense says there's no proof other than the witnesses' words that any of this happened calling it all a bunch of lies.
WSAZ.com has been in the courtroom everyday, all day, during the seven days of testimony along with family members and friends. WSAZ.com chatted with a few this morning who say this is the first time they've heard the full extent of the graphic details alleged in this case -- that goes for both sides. Yesterday, during closing arguments, there were plenty of tears -- signs this case has really taken its toll.
Jurors broke for lunch just before noon on Thursday. A verdict could come at any moment.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information on the trial.
Click here, to sign up for text alerts to have the verdict sent straight to your cell phone.
Jurors reconvened at 9 a.m. Thursday morning in the Cabell County Courthouse.
A long day is expected as jurors comb through each of the 34 counts that Bowen is charged with in the indictment.
WSAZ.com has been covering every moment of this case, and we continue to have a crew in the courtroom awaiting the verdict.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
Click here, to sign up for text alerts to have the verdict sent straight to your cell phone.
Both attorneys were passionate, critical and extremely thorough as they built their case while destroying the other’s case.
Defendant Foster "Pete" Bowen, 81, a retired Huntington Police captain, faces 34 counts of sexual abuse of boys.
“You saw that trust, and you saw the abuse of that trust,” Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles said.
It's a theme Chiles has carried throughout this case.
“The defense attorney kept asking why these young children didn’t tell someone. It wasn’t their job. The trusted adult shouldn’t have been abusing them,” Chiles said.
He went on to say, "By the way, why was a SEGA video game system in a grown man's bedroom except to entice boys to his bedroom, entice them to his waterbed ... This is either the greatest conspiracy since Kennedy was shot or it’s true.”
Then, Bowen's attorney, Jay Love, started shooting holes in the prosecution’s case.
“There are so many lies that, if you took a machine gun and shot up his case, all you’d be left with is lies hanging from the ceiling,” Love said. “He took them to a rest stop to have oral sex with gay men they just met that day? That’s absurd. It’s ridiculous."
Love continued, “Before he could get on the boat, a boy had to have oral sex performed on him in broad daylight. You’d have to be an idiot to do that to a child or insane."
The prosecution said the defense never provided a reason why the seven victims all came forward with such embarrassing allegations. The defense says there's no proof any of this happened.
The case is now in the hands of the jury. The jury received the case late Wednesday afternoon and decided to go home and start deliberations Thursday morning.
When given the choice, jurors chose to start deliberations first thing Thursday morning. They will begin at 9 a.m.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest updates.
Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles started the arguments.
"Trust and abuse of that trust -- that's what this case is about," said Chiles. "We can't begin to know the trauma the abuse of this man has caused."
"Shirley wasn't there when this was going on. The dogs would bark when she drove up so they could clean up," said Chiles. "He even taught the boys how to lie to their parents so they could spend the night and he could abuse them."
"Why did an older man have a Sega game system in his bedroom? He wanted to entice them to come to his bedroom," said Chiles. "Either this is the greatest conspiracy since Kennedy was shot or it happened. There's no conspiracy here folks."
Chiles' arguments lasted for about 45 minutes. Defense attorney Jay Love is now delivering his arguments.
The jury is expected to receive the case by the end of Wednesday.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest updates.
"He made me perform numerous sexual acts on him, by him and with other boys," said the witness.
The defense questioned the witness' story asking why he denied Bowen ever molested him when an investigator talked to him last December. The witness stated he didn't want to get involved in the case and had been trying to forget the abuse even turning to drugs years ago to cover up the emotional pain he was experiencing.
"So, if you didn't want to get involved, you could have just told our investigator the truth and said you were molested and we would have left you alone," said the defense attorney.
"I'm ashamed I didn't tell the truth then and am ashamed I didn't tell the truth 25 years ago when it first happened," said the witness.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest updates.
The state is calling a rebuttal witness to testify against Foster "Pete" Bowen. Barboursville Police Chief Mike Coffey is getting ready to take the stand.
Closing arguments are expected Wednesday afternoon.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Foster "Pete" Bowen took the stand again Wednesday morning in his defense as the prosecutor cross-examined him.
"Why were there condoms and KY Jelly in your cabin," asked Chris Chiles, prosecutor.
"I believe a young man testified he brought them there and hid them in my jacket pocket," said Bowen.
"Why was there KY Jelly in your bedroom at your Barboursville home," asked Chiles.
"That's personal between me and my wife," said Bowen.
"But, you testified you and your wife had relations in her bedroom, so why was the KY Jelly in your room," asked Chiles.
"That's where we kept it in my dresser drawer," said Bowen.
Questioning of Pete Bowen is now over, but it didn't end without a few more pointed questions.
Defense attorney, Jay Love, asked his client why he admitted to the trooper during questioning after his arrest that he had a pornography collection.
"Because I wanted to be honest. I hid it from my wife because I knew how she felt about it," said Bowen.
"How do you feel about that decision now," asked Love.
"It was wrong. I know that now," said Bowen.
"Mr. Bowen, you said you lied to your wife because you respected her wishes? If you respected her wishes, wouldn't you have taken it out and burned it like you said you would," asked Chiles.
"You could say that," said Bowen.
The defense is expected to rest its case Wednesday morning.
Closing arguments are expected Wednesday afternoon.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for more updates.
Foster "Pete" Bowen took the stand Tuesday afternoon in his own defense, denying just about every allegation. Bowen was quick to deny and eager to explain the accusations against him.
Bowen will quickly tell you he did not sexually abuse or assault any boys. But, when it comes to explaining why he touched their private parts -- that took a little more of a lengthy explanation.
“Why did you pull their Twinkie? Please explain,” asked Jay Love, defense attorney.
“I just sort of grabbed it quickly," Bowen said. "I’d only hold on to it for a second and then let it go, and I only did it when they got out of line."
Bowen was straightforward in his response about touching boys on their private parts. While he admits he wasn't raised that way, he says in Webster County, W.Va., where his cabin is located and he spent a lot of time with boys, it's an accepted form of discipline. That was backed up by a mother and son who live there and have known Bowen for years.
“It wouldn’t bother me at all," a mother from Webster County said. "He probably did something to deserve it."
“Did you feel sexually molested in any way?” Love asked a 15-year-old boy from Webster County.
“No,” he replied.
“I'm not a homosexual and I'm not a pedophile," Bowen said. "I love children and I love animals and not in a sexual way. I just love them."
“Did you ever touch boys in any sexual way?” Love asked.
“No,” Bowen responded.
“Did you ever allow them to touch you?” Love asked.
“No,” Bowen said.
“Did you ever perform oral sex on him at Harris Riverfront Park in broad daylight?” Love asked.
“Now, common sense would tell you that there’s no way I would do that,” Bowen said.
Bowen also testified he didn't see anything wrong with sleeping in the same bed with the boys. Bowen did admit to having a pornography collection, but says he didn’t buy it. He says it was recovered from his brother's home, who died several years ago.
Bowen said his wife asked him to get rid of the porn collection, but he kept it and looked through it alone and with adult friends.
“I’m not a homosexual and I’m not a pedophile. I love children and I love animals, but not in a sexual way,” that’s the testimony of Pete Bowen.
Bowen said he never inappropriately touched any boy. In fact, he testified he had a healthy marriage and healthy sex life with his wife, Shirley, of more than 50 years.
“She was more than a loving wife, she was my best friend,” said Bowen.
Bowen said the two did sleep in separate bedrooms because he worked the midnight shift and didn’t want to disturb her when he came home from work. He also testified that he often didn’t sleep well because of the bad things he saw in the course of his job on the Huntington Police Department. So, Bowen says it worked better for the two of them to sleep separately.
“When we did have sexual intimacy, we'd get together in her bed because she didn’t like to perform in my water bed,” said Bowen.
Bowen went on to deny ever sexually molesting any boy, touching them inappropriately or allowing them to touch him inappropriately.
“Have you ever had a desire to have oral sex with another man,” asked Jay Love, defense attorney.
“No sir,” responded Bowen.
“Have you ever had a desire to have oral sex with young boys,” asked Love.
“No sir,” responded Bowen.
Bowen said he grew up poor and as he grew older, he and his wife had a little extra money and he gained great joy out of helping the boys in the neighborhood.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for more updates.
After a string of professional acquaintances and friends testified they don’t believe Pete Bowen is capable of committing the sexual acts he’s accused of Tuesday, Bowen is taking the stand in his own defense.
Defense attorney Jay Love is set to question Bowen, followed by cross examination by Prosecutor Chris Chiles.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for more updates.
Jurors are now hearing testimony from defense witness Mike McCallister.
McCallister is a retired Cabell County Sheriff's Deputy. He is testifying as an expert on how to properly interview a sexual abuse victim. McCallister was trained in the Harmony House protocol.
Several local professionals have taken the stand Tuesday during the trial.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for more updates.
In previous testimony, the alleged victims testified the retired police captain took them around a dentist, Dr. James Aldridge, a physician, Dr. Donald Klinestiver, and former Wayne County Sheriff, Toby Shy.
Several of those victims said Bowen either fondled them, commented on the size of their genitals or had discussions about masturbation with them in the presence of one or all of these individuals.
“Did you ever have a conversation with Mr. Bowen and a child about masturbation,” asked Jay Love, defense attorney of Dr. Klinestiver.
“No,” responded Dr. Klinestiver.
Dr. Aldridge denied Bowen ever even brought a child to his office saying he did see one of the alleged victims as a patient on three occasions, but his mother brought him each time.
Toby Shy, who was Wayne County Sheriff from 1993-2001, and an officer on the Huntington Police Dept. for 30 years before that, testified he had a farm complete with a fishing pond that Bowen regularly brought the boys to.
“Did you ever see Mr. Bowen molest kids in your presence,” asked Love of Shy.
“No,” responded Shy.
“If you had seen something like that, what would you have done?” asked Love.
“I would have called him down for it and told him to stop it,” responded Shy.
Shy said he never witnessed Bowen touch the boys in any inappropriate way. He said the boys liked Bowen as if he was a great friend.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for more updates.
A string of witnesses came to Foster "Pete" Bowen's defense in day five of the trial. From his wife and now adult son to several young men who grew up near Bowen's cabin in Webster County and their families, everyone testified Bowen was not capable of sexually assaulting anyone.
We heard a string of people say they never saw or even suspected an ounce of wrongdoing or inappropriate behavior. But, it all depends on how you interpret bad behavior.
“I had no reason to be suspicious of an inappropriate relationship," said Shirley Bowen, who's Bowen's wife. "I would have confronted Pete."
“Would it surprise you that when they spent the night, the boys slept in the same bed with your father?” Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles asked.
“No. That wouldn’t surprise me,” said J.W. Bowen, Pete’s son.
“He was like a father figure,” said Bobby Gilles, a friend of Pete Bowen.
One after another, Pete Bowen's defense witnesses had nothing but a glowing recount of a man they say couldn't possibly be guilty of molesting boys. However, the prosecution says it's what they didn't know that could mean he is.
“Would it surprise you to know he admitted to regularly touching boys’ penises?” Chiles asked.
“That would surprise me,” J.W. Bowen said.
“Did he ever touch your penis?” asked Chiles of Jeff Lyke, a friend of Bowen.
“No,” Lyke said.
“Not even once or twice?” Chiles asked.
“Well, yes. But, it wasn’t like what you’re making it out to be,” Lyke said.
“When he touched you there, was it ever for any type of sexual gratification?” defense attorney Jay Love asked.
“No, never,” Lyke said.
Love tried to establish a difference between grabbing boys’ private parts in fun or discipline versus in a perverted way. Several witnesses, especially men, agreed there is a difference.
The prosecution tried to get witnesses to say touching a boy's private part in any way is wrong. Several did agree with that, as well.
The trial resumes Tuesday with more defense witnesses expected to testify.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on the trial.
Bowen is accused of abusing at least eight boys when they were between the ages of 11 and 16 over a span of 22 years. He is facing 35 charges.
J.W. Bowen said his father was well liked and respected by boys in their Barboursville neighborhood and near the Webster County cabin. He said it wasn’t uncommon for boys to spend the night and even sleep in the same bed with his father at their Barboursville home and at the cabin.
“Did you ever see your father grab boys’ private parts,” asked Jay Love, defense attorney.
“No,” said J.W.
“Would it surprise you to know your father admitted to Trooper Kirk after his arrest that he regularly pulled on the parts of boys,” asked the prosecution.
“Yes,” said J.W.
Several other witnesses gave the same responses to the same series of questioning by both sides.
Three boys from Webster County testified Pete never showed them pornography, they never saw him show it to other boys and they never saw him looking at any pornography. The boys testified that when Pete arrived at the cabin on Fridays, it was always a joyous and exciting time.
One young man, Jeff Lyke, also know as Bebo, testified under cross-examination by the prosecution that Bowen did grab him by the private parts in a playful manner on more than one occasion after initially denying the act.
“Isn’t the reason you first denied Mr. Bowen grabbed your private part is because you knew it was inappropriate behavior,” asked Chris Chiles, prosecutor.
“No. I didn’t consider it anything bad. We were just horsing around and playing. It wasn’t what you’re making it out to be,” said Lyke.
“Did he do it to other boys? Did he do it more than once,” asked Chiles.
“Yes,” said Lyke.
Foster "Pete" Bowen's trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for more updates.
A young man who grew up in Webster County, next door to Pete Bowen's Bergoo cabin, took the stand about 11 a.m. Monday. Jared Alsop testified that he spent a lot of time at the Bowen cabin and even slept in the same bed with Bowen. Alsop also visited the Bowen's at their Barboursville home several summers for a week at a time. Alsop told the courtroom nothing inappropriate ever happened.
"I never saw him touch any of the other boys inappropriately. He never touched me inappropriately," said Jared Alsop. "If he had, I would have thought that was sick and would have told my parents."
Alsop said he admires Bowen and has always looked up to him.
"When Pete arrived up at the cabin, there was always a stream of boys behind him. Everyone was always so excited to see him. He was fun to be around," said Alsop.
He also said he has a seven-year-old son now and wouldn't hesitate to let Pete keep his son, if he wanted to.
J.W. Bowen, Pete's son, is now on the stand. Court is in recess for lunch until 1p.m.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest updates.
Day five started with the retired police captain's wife on the stand. Shirley Bowen continued her testimony from last week. Shirley said Pete was a grandfather to many boys in the neighborhood. She said it was common for some of the boys to spend the night and sleep in the room with Pete.
"How would you describe your husband?" Asked Jay Love, defense attorney.
"We had no serious arguments. No separation. Never in our 55 years of marriage did he ever give me a reason to think he broke our vows with anyone -- male or female," said Mrs. Bowen.
“Mrs. Bowen, wouldn’t a wife’s intuition have told you if anything inappropriate was going on?” asked Jay Love, Defense Attorney.
“I knew my husband. If this is true, I thought I knew my husband. I completely trust him and never ever had any inkling or reason to think anything inappropriate was going on. I trust my husband. I love my husband,” said Mrs. Bowen.
Mrs. Bowen also told the prosecutor she never saw Pete touch the boys on their private parts.
The prosecution started their questioning of Mrs. Bowen shortly after 10 a.m.
“Can you give any reason for my all of these boys, some of which don’t even know each other would get together and lie?” asked Chris Chiles, Cabell County Prosecutor.
“I have no idea. I have no idea why they would do this,” said Mrs. Bowen
“If it’s true that he did do this, it would be a violation of the trust of those boys, their families and you,” said Chiles.
“Yes, if it’s true,” responded Mrs. Bowen.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began last Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on the Foster "Pete" Bowen trial.
All of the alleged victims say many of the sex acts between them and Bowen and with each other occurred right there in the couple's Barboursville home in Pete’s bedroom.
They say Mrs. Bowen was often home when these acts were going on. But, for her part, Mrs. Bowen denies seeing or hearing anything out of the ordinary.
As Shirley prepares to testify, she seemed to close her eyes in prayer as her husband smiles. Mrs. Bowen said she was very religious and was often out of the home at church or choir practice. But, she says the young boys often came to their home to play and seemed to flock around her husband.
She says it wasn't unusual for the couple to take some of the boys out to eat or even on summer vacations with them.
Mrs. Bowen also testified that the two have slept in separate bedrooms for years saying Pete didn't like to sleep with anyone. But, when they did have relations, it always happened in her room in her bed.
“When you washed his sheets, did you ever notice semen? No. Did you notice blood? No. Did you notice lubricants being used? No,” said Mrs. Bowen.
Mrs. Bowen testified the two did have a healthy sexual relationship during the years of the allegation saying she's "never had any marital problems with her husband when it came to sex."
It's still very early in Mrs. Bowen's testimony. Court recessed for the day before the defense finished their line of questioning and keep in mind, the prosecution still gets to set in trying to find out how much Mrs. Bowen really knew.
This case will not resume until Monday after the Easter holiday weekend.
This young man is only 16 and the younger brother of one of the victims who is named in the indictment. He says the sexual abuse by Pete Bowen started when he was 12 and ended when he was 15.
Like many of he victims named in the indictment, this young man testified that Bowen performed oral sex on him many times. However, he said when Bowen asked him to perform the same sexual act on him, the young man refused.
However, on cross-examination, defense attorney Jay Love asked the witness why he was afraid to say no to performing sex acts, but never resisted those acts being performed on him.
“He had a lot of guns around and I was afraid if I said no to him performing those acts on me that I’d get hurt,” said the witness.
“So, why weren’t you afraid to say no to him performing those acts on you,” asked Love.
“Because there weren’t any guns around then,” said the witness.
The witness said Bowen only asked him to perform the sex acts a couple of times and each time they were at the cabin in Webster County. He said there weren’t a lot of guns at the cabin.
The defense also asked the witness about a scrapbook he made naming Bowen the best friend and the best dad. The witness said he made the scrapbook when he was nine before the abuse happened.
The defense questioned the timing of the gift insisting the witness made it when he was older after the abuse started. The witness denied that.
The prosecution has now rested. The defense will now present it’s case.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the very latest information.
Pete Bowen's trial enters day four with testimony from state police investigators who conducted search warrants in his Barboursville home and his Webster County cabin. Two troopers testified they collected and photographed numerous pornographic items including magazines, videos and items used during sex acts. Trooper J.C. Kirk interviewed the alleged sex assault victims before arresting
Bowen. He says after Bowen's arrest, Bowen waived his rights and offered a statement.
“When Bowen was arrested, he admitted that he would pull the p***** of the children when they got out of line. He'd run their bath water and sit with them and they slept in bed together,” says Trooper Kirk.
“Isn’t it true that Bowen said he pulled their p***** as a means of discipline and not for any type of sexual gratification?” asked Jay Love, Defense Attorney.
“Yes, he did say that,” said Trooper Kirk.
The prosecution plans to call two to three more witnesses and hopes to wrap up it's part of the case today.
We saw this emotion earlier this week during testimony from the people who say they're victims. But, Wednesday it came from their parents, who are struggling to understand.
WSAZ.com's Carrie Cline talked with some parents exclusively. A mother and father say they were loving, attentive parents, and that’s what makes this especially hard for them. They tried to explain their horrific nightmare.
“How does this happen and the parents not know about it?” Cline asked.
“I’ve been asking myself that over and over, and we’re always going to feel guilty. We felt like they were upstanding citizens,” the victim’s mother said.
To protect the identity of their son, one of the seven victims listed in the indictment against Pete Bowen, we'll also conceal the identity of these parents. They're a mother and father who thought they were doing everything right when it came to their children.
That's why news that their son, only 10 at the time, allegedly suffered hundreds of sexual acts at the hands of Foster "Pete" Bowen came as a big shock.
“Not in my wildest dreams would I have ever thought this from that particular person. Never,” the victim’s mother said.
“I felt like I had failed my son in not protecting him,” the victim’s father said.
But, there's also a sense of pride. Their son is the one who helped spark the investigation. During a visit last year to his parent's Barboursville home, he says he saw Bowen with two young boys and wrote a letter to their parents.
“Pete Bowen is a child molester. I know this because my friends and I were molested by him when we were your son’s age,” the letter reads.
“God gave them the courage to do … to come forward and do what they’ve done,” the victim’s mother said.
These parents say their son didn't tell them about the abuse until nearly 20 years later. They learned the details last fall -- the day Bowen was arrested.
The son said he did that intentionally because he feared his dad would severely injure Bowen, putting himself behind bars.
Victim E took the stand Wednesday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court and said there were several well-respected professionals in the community, including a doctor, dentist and a high-ranking law enforcement leader, who "Pete" took him around.
He said during those encounters, "Pete" would engage in sexually suggestive conversation with them and even make comments to them about the victim's genitals.
Victim E said these grown men didn't react in the way he thought was appropriate.
"I might not be about to speak up as a 10-year-old child, but why can't these grown men notice this is wrong and help me out?" said Victim E.
This particular victim said he was very uncomfortable with Bowen's sexual advances. Victim E recalled one incident where Bowen cornered him in Bowen's bedroom, threw him on the bed and performed a sexual act on him. After that, Victim E said he shied away from Bowen.
The sixth of the seven victims in the indictment is now on the stand.
The courtroom broke for lunch shortly before noon, and will reconvene just before 1 p.m.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on the Foster "Pete" Bowen trial.
The second day of testimony in the Foster "Pete" Bowen trial focused on two more victims who allegedly were repeatedly sexually assaulted by Bowen.
They were young boys when they were abused -- now grown men dealing with the aftermath. The two victims told very similar stories in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Both grew up in Bowen's Barboursville neighborhood. Both say the sexual abuse started when they were around 8 to 10 years old, and both had younger brothers who they say also were abused by Bowen.
“Mr. Bowen had everything a boy could want to do. He had games, basketball. He took me wherever I wanted to go fishing, ATV riding, cabin at Bergoo (in Webster County, W.Va.),” Victim C said.
For the sake of protecting this sexual abuse victim's identity, we'll call him Victim C. He and another man, Victim D, said there was a price to pay for all of the fun and games.
“Besides you performing oral sex on him, what else happened?," Victim D was asked during testimony.
"He performed it on me hundreds of times," Victim D replied. "We’re talking every other day."
“Did you want to do those things?” defense attorney Jay Love asked.
“Yes, because I got gifts, four-wheeling and fishing trips,” Victim D said..
But, perhaps the bigger price both paid was watching and experiencing the sexual abuse of their younger brothers. For Victim C, it's what prevented him from getting away from Bowen.
“I stuck around to protect my brother," Victim C said. "With no father figure around, he looked up to Mr. Bowen like a father."
For Victim D, it was much worse.
“Did you see your brother engage in sex acts,” Love asked.
“Yes,” Victim D said.
“With who?” Love asked.
“With me. I had oral sex with my brother,” Victim D said.
But, the defense painted a much different picture -- even referencing an admiring paper one victim wrote about Bowen.
“The person I admire most is my great uncle Pete,” Victim D read.
“You admired a man doing these things to you?” Love asked.
“He raised me, and we had fun at the same time I was assaulted,” Victim D said.
Another re-occurring theme is where was Bowen's wife when all of these sexual acts were allegedly going on in her home.
So far, all of the boys have said she was at church or in another part of the house and never walked in to the bedroom where these things were supposedly happening.
The trial continues Wednesday.
"Victim D" is now on the stand. He said he moved to Bowen's Barboursville neighborhood when he was between eight and ten-years-old. Victim D tells similar stories of perverse sexual acts being performed on him and being forced to perform them on Bowen and other neighborhood boys.
Victim D said he was considered a "Number One Boy" at times, meaning he got some of the best rewards including fishing trips and frequent trips to the the mountain cabin in Webster County. However, he said in return for those rewards, he was involved in hundreds of sex acts, nearly every other day with, and in the presence of, Bowen.
The courtroom broke for lunch just before noon, and will reconvene at 1 p.m.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on the Foster "Pete" Bowen trial.
The girlfriend testified the victim confessed the sexual abuse to her when they were in the 9th grade at her home.
She recalled he told her, "A man asked him if he liked to touch himself and if it felt good. He said the man made him masturbate. He was extremely upset, inconsolable and went into my closet and curled up in a fetal position."
The woman said the two never spoke of the subject again until he contacted her last year about testifying in the case.
"Victim C" is now on the stand. He's now 19 and a student at Marshall University. He testified he first met Bowen in 2001, when he and his family moved to the Barboursville neighborhood.
Victim C says he was fondled by Mr. Bowen, but rebuked his advances. However, his brother, who was three years younger, really looked up to Bowen as a father figure and practically lived with him.
"He fondled my brother a lot more because my brother would allow it," said Victim C. "I had to stick around to protect him."
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on the Foster "Pete" Bowen trial.
UPDATE 4/19/11 @ 9:35 a.m.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Day two in the trial of Foster "Pete" Bowen is now underway.
Emotional testimony from more alleged victims is set to take place Tuesday.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on the Foster "Pete" Bowen trial.
Foster Bowen, known as Pete, stands trial on sexual assault charges of seven young boys at his Barboursville home and Webster County, W.Va., cabin.
New disturbing details emerged during the first day of testimony.
We learned one of them is the son of a fellow Huntington police officer. He and another victim testified Monday.
An important note: these sexual abuse victims did not want their faces shown or names used, so we'll refer to them as Victim A and Victim B. Both had plenty to say about the horrors they say they suffered at the hands of Bowen.
“He picked them, lured them in and groomed them,” Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles said.
“(Bowen’s) very credible and will tell you these are all lies,” said Jay Love, Bowen’s defense attorney.
After explosive opening statements, the first victim, Victim A, took the stand. He said he met Pete Bowen at age 7 and moved to the neighborhood. He says the abuse started when he was 8 and continued for seven years.
“I remember 'Playboy' and 'Hustler.' He kept it all in a cabinet and just opened it up to us. He also sometimes looked at them with us,” Victim A said.
The indictment only lists seven charges related to this victim, but he said the acts happened much more often -- as many as 30 to 40 perverted sexual acts.
“I kept struggling within myself. Why would a retired police captain in Huntington, West Virginia, do this? If he’s doing it, then it must be right, I thought,” Victim A said.
But, finally at the age of 15, Victim A walked away from the abuse.
“I decided he was a bad man,” he said.
“I was embarrassed by what was going on and was afraid to tell anyone,” said Victim B.
This victim, Victim B, is 42 now. But, he was just 13 when he says Pete Bowen sexually assaulted him in a number of ways. The two were introduced because his father was a fellow officer on the Huntington Police Department with Bowen. This victim said that played a big role in his reluctance to tell anyone about the abuse as it happened.
“Pete Bowen always carried a gun with him, and I was afraid he’d harm me or my family,” Victim B said.
Bowen faces 35 counts of sexual abuse and sexual assault. But, the two victims who testified Monday say the number of sexual acts performed -- just on them alone -- far out number those in the actual indictment against all seven of the victims.
Bowen turned down an 11th hour plea deal -- where he could have pleaded guilty to one just count, of his choosing, for each victim for a total of only seven charges.
Because he's a sexual abuse victim, we are not showing his face or using his name, but are referring to him as “Victim A.” He says he first met Foster Bowen, known as “Pete,” when he first moved to the neighborhood, at the age of seven.
"Victim A" testified that numerous acts of sexual abuse started when he was eight and continued until he was 15.
During testimony, he also shared details about when and where the alleged abuse would take place, and who was around during the alleged incidents.
“Sometimes Shirley would be asleep in another room or would be away when the sexual abuse would go on. It happened day or night and if she was home, she never walked in.,” said "Victim A",in referring to Bowen’s Wife, Shirley.
During cross examination by Bowen’s attorney Jay Love, "Victim A" was asked why he waited such a long period of time before talking about the alleged sexual acts.
“Why didn’t you leave and end the sexual abuse sooner than you did?” asked Defense Attorney Jay Love.
“I had friends who were still there doing fun things. At 14, it seemed like it was worth it to be sexually abused to be able to go on the fun trips,” said 'Victim A". “However, at age 15, that no longer seemed worth it. That’s when I stopped going. He was a bad man.”
"Victim A's" father-in-law also testified briefly on Monday. He stated that "Victim A" confided in him about the alleged abuse years ago. The father-in-law testified that he, too, endured a similar type of abuse as a child.
"Victim B" is currently on the stand testifying. He is the son of a Huntington Police officer.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
His trial began Monday morning in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest on the Foster "Pete" Bowen trial.
"Trust and betrayal of trust", that is how how the prosecution described the case against Foster "Pete" Bowen in their opening statements. Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles said Bowen betrayed that trust with his victims and their families.
"He performed unspeakable sex acts on them repeatedly," said Chiles.
Chiles said the retired police captain's home was a favorite hangout for local boys in the neighborhood. He says they would often play video games in his bedroom or sometimes even spend the night. According to Chiles, sexual acts frequently occurred during these times.
"Lies!" said defense attorney Jay Love. That's how he characterized the stories of the alleged victims saying their stories don't add up.
According to Love, several people will testify that they also would hang out at Bowen's home with the other boys and were never abused and never saw others abused.
The court broke for lunch shortly after the first alleged victim took the stand as a prosecution witness.
Bowen, 81, is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse on young boys.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest updates.
The prosecution offered Bowen the opportunity to plead guilty to only one count for each of the victims in the case.
Prosecutors say Bowen abused at least eight boys when they were between the ages of 11 and 16 over a span of 22 years. He is facing 35 charges.
Bowen rejected the plea deal he was offered. The defense didn't release why the plea was turned down.
Opening statements are currently underway in Judge Paul Farrell's courtroom.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
The trial for 81-year-old Foster “Pete” Bowen is taking place in Cabell County Circuit Court.
Opening arguments are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. A jury was picked last week.
Prosecutors say Bowen abused at least eight boys when they were between the ages of 11 and 16 at his home in Barboursville, and at a cabin in Webster County.
The trial is expected to last two weeks.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for updated on the trial.
Bowen’s attorney, Jay Love, was trying to get evidence thrown out that was collected at a Webster County cabin owned by Foster. During the execution of a search warrant last year, deputies collected pornographic magazines, movies and pictures, sex toys and condoms, among other things.
The judge denied the request, saying West Virginia State Troopers were well within the scope of the investigation to gather the items. The judge also denied a motion to prevent some items collected from Bowen's home in Barboursville.
The prosecution says the victims will testify Bowen often made them watch and/or look at porn before and while he was sexually assaulting them.
Bowen’s trial is set to begin at 9 a.m. Monday. It is expected to last two weeks.
Now, a jury's been seated in the trial of former Huntington Police Capt. Foster "Pete" Bowen -- all in the name of making sure what already promises to be a long trial isn't any longer than it has to be.
Eight victims over the span of 22 years totaling more than 30 charges --that's what Bowen is facing.
He’s a former captain of the Huntington Police Department who spent years protecting others and upholding the law. But, now he finds himself on the other side of justice, accused of breaking the law and taking advantage of others.
One after another, Circuit Judge Paul Farrell read the long list of charges detailing numerous acts of sexual assault and sexual abuse of boys ranging in age from 11 to 16. The prosecution says these acts took place at Bowen's Barboursville home or his Webster County cabin.
Bowen's trial isn't scheduled to start for six days, but jury selection took place early.
“The trial is expected to be a long trial, so Judge Farrell wanted to be able to start on Monday with actual testimony and have all day Monday to begin the trial," Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles said. "So, we all agreed it would be appropriate to pick the jury ahead of time and for scheduling purposes for everyone to pick the jury."
With nearly a week before the trial starts, Farrell gave jurors strict instructions to not research the case or watch or read any media reports about the case until the trial has ended.
The original 38-count indictment has shrunk a little. Three counts were dismissed because they pertained to a victim who has since died, meaning Bowen can no longer be tried on those charges.
According to Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles, the judge and attorneys agreed that because this will be a long trial -- lasting up to two weeks -- they wanted to start the trial on Monday with opening statements.
"There's nothing out of the ordinary about this. Everyone agreed that we wanted to this trial to flow smoothly and efficiently and one way to do that is take care of jury selection ahead of time," said Chiles. "I'm sure the jury will carefully adhere to the judge's instructions and not conduct any research or watch or read any media reports between now and the end of the trial."
The pool of potential jurors was called to the courthouse at 8:45 Tuesday morning. There is no word on how long the selection process will take.
Bowen remains in the Western Regional Jail on a $1M bond after being arrested last August.
He is charged with 34 counts of sexual abuse. Three of the original charges were dismissed because one of the victims, those charges related to, has since died.
Bowen's trial is set to begin Monday morning in Judge Paul Farrell's courtroom.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
During a hearing Tuesday morning, an April 18 trial date was set for 80-year-old Foster "Pete" Bowen.
Bowen was arrested last August.
He remains in the Western Regional Jail.
The delay is due to a change in judges handling the case.
Paul Farrell will be sworn-in as a Cabell County Circuit Court Judge on Monday. He will now preside over the trial.
Farrell was appointed to bench earlier this year to replace Dan O'Hanlon who retired last year. Judge John Cummings has been filling the seat in the interim.
Foster "Pete" Bowen appeared in court Friday to ask a judge to reduce that bond. The judge denied that request. The prosecution felt strongly that Bowen still is a threat to the community.
Bowen, 80, is accused of abusing at least one teenage boy up until the time he was arrested in August.
WSAZ.com's Carrie Cline spoke with that young man's family off camera Friday. They said they fear if Bowen is released from jail on bond, he could return to terrorize their son. It was enough for a judge to make sure that doesn't happen.
“There are 38 counts that could easily be 138 counts," Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles said. "There are eight victims that we know of and could be more before we’re finished. The victims live close and have said he told them, 'If you tell, I'll kill you, your family and then myself.' "
Bowen's defense attorney Charlie Hatcher said, "He’s an old man in failing health. He’s not a flight risk. Give him an ankle bracelet and let him go home to his wife."
Cabell County Circuit Judge Dan O'Hanlon said, "I’m going to deny bond."
As a result, the $1 million cash bond remains in place and Bowen remains in jail. The former Huntington police captain is charged with 38 counts of sexual abuse and assault of young boys from ages 11 to 16. But, had the judge lowered the bond, family and friends were willing make extreme sacrifices to bring him home.
"I was willing to put up my home. He means that much to me. He’s my dad, and I consider him a man of honor. That’s the man who raised me," said J.W. Bowen, who is Pete Bowen's son.
Family members of two of the victims told WSAZ.com off camera, though, that Bowen is anything but a man of honor. The indictment details numerous allegations of oral sex and sodomy.
Now, Bowen has more trouble. His attorney is considering leaving the case, saying the high bond prevents him from paying an attorney.
"If I don’t represent him, I’m sure there’s some young, hungry lawyer willing to work for free to nothing," Hatcher said.
"He's got friends. It's not about money. It's about doing the right thing for someone who's been there for you,” said Danny Lane, who’s been hired by the Bowen family to investigate the allegations.
Bowen had asked for a public defender, but his and his wife's retirement checks exceed the minimum income required to qualify.
Bowen's trial is set for Nov. 15.
"This case already includes 38 counts and that could easily be 138 counts before we're done. There are eight victims that we know of and there could be more. The victims and their families live nearby. We think he is a danger to the community," said Chiles.
"The purpose of bond is to insure a person stays put. He's in his 80's, is a lifelong resident of Barboursville, has no income and lives with his wife. Put an ankle monitor on him and let him go home," said Charlie Hatcher, Bowen's defense attorney.
A Cabell County Grand Jury met last week and indicted Bowen, 80, on the charges. On Tuesday, Bowen was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to charges. He was arrested in August.
Bowen's attorney has indicated he will remove himself from the case because of Bowen's inability to pay. However, Bowen does not qualify for a court-appointed attorney. Retirement checks received by him and his wife top the minimum income required for a public defender.
Bowen is being held in the Western Regional Jail. His trial is set for November 15.
A Cabell County Grand Jury met last week and indicted Foster “Pete” Bowen on the charges.
"I think it's significant that we have eight different victims," says Cabell County Prosecutor Chris Chiles. "You can tell from the charges in the indictment that all eight victims seem to allege the same basic events having occurred."
"The problem in these cases is being able to defend yourself, because if I ask you what you did at noon on Jan. 27, 1987 you couldn't tell me," Bowen's defense attorney Charlie Hatcher tells WSAZ.com. "So it makes it a little more difficult when there's this repressed memory. I assume [the victims] were old enough to walk and talk. I assume they either walked in his house, there are no allegations that he drug them into his house or any of those things, so it's a difficult and sensational case," Hatcher says.
"We certainly feel comfortable with the case or we wouldn't have presented it to the grand jury, but we'll let a jury decide that at a later date," says Chiles.
Bowen, 80, was arraigned on the 38 charges Tuesday in Cabell County Circuit Court after his indictment was unsealed.
According to the indictment, eight men have now come forward to accuse Bowen of sexual abuse when they were minors. The alleged abuse happened between 1987 and 1995 when the accusers were between the ages of 11 and 16.
Bowen faces the following charges:
Bowen is expected to be back in court Friday for a bond reduction hearing. He is being held in the Western Regional Jail on $1M cash-only bond.
A Cabell County Grand Jury met last week and indicted Foster “Pete” Bowen on the charges.
Bowen, 80, was arraigned on those charges Tuesday in Cabell County Circuit Court after his indictment was unsealed.
According to the indictment, eight men have now come forward to accuse Bowen of sexual abuse when they were minors. The alleged abuse happened between 1987 and 1995 when the accusers were between the ages of 11 and 16.
Bowen faces the following charges:
Bowen is expected to be back in court Friday for a bond reduction hearing. He is being held in the Western Regional Jail on $1M bond.
Bowen was arrested back in August.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 80, of Barboursville, was arrested in August.
Magistrate Court Officials say the hearing was canceled after prosecutors decided to take the case to grand jury for a direct indictment.
A Cabell County Grand Jury met earlier this week. Their findings are expected to be released on October 1.
They’re charges his own son is baffled by. J.W. Bowen says his dad was a lot of things -- his baseball coach, his golfing buddy and a strong man of faith. But the one thing he refuses to believe is that his dad sexually assaulted boys.
"It makes me sick. My stomach turned and turned again," J.W. Bowen said.
He still can't believe his dad was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting young boys. The two were playing golf last week when the arrest happened.
"The things we’re hearing aren’t the things I know about my dad," J.W. Bowen said. "That is not the man who raised me. My dad is a man of honor and integrity."
Foster "Pete" Bowen is 80-years-old. According to the criminal complaint, the sexual assaults happened about 20 years ago when the five victims were between the ages of eight and 13. According to police, the sex acts took place in Foster "Pete" Bowen's home in Barboursville, and pornographic material allegedly was sometimes used to entice them.
But, Bowen’s attorney Charlie Hatcher wonders why it took them so long to come forward.
"It would appear they’ve all been rounded up and given an incentive to do this, and I believe we can establish that in court," Hatcher said.
One thing Hatcher can’t establish is how police can link certain items found in Foster "Pete" Bowen's Webster County cabin to a crime.
"KY Jelly, condoms, pornography. You can get on the Internet right now and find that many people own pornography," Hatcher said. "It’s not just Pete Bowen and they’re using it for things other than molesting young boys."
In the end, nothing happened in court Friday. A magistrate judge granted Hatcher's motion for a continuance. Hatcher promised to have all five victims in court at the next hearing.
For the investigators and prosecution, they say even more victims will be coming forward, a minimum of three and probably more. Other than that, they say they feel confident they have a rock solid case.
Pete Bowen will be will back in court Dec. 24. His attorney is working to get the $600,000 cash-only bond reduced.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 80, of Barboursville, was arrested last Friday at a Cabell County golf course.
Magistrate Ron Baumgardner continued Friday's hearing until September 24 when only three of the five alleged victims showed up for the hearing.
Bowen's attorney also filed a motion on Friday to have his clients bond reduced.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 80, of Barboursville, was arrested last Friday at a Cabell County golf course.
Bowen's preliminary hearing is taking place in Cabell County Magistrate Court.
During his walk from a holding cell into court, Mr. Bowen had nothing to say about his case.
Before the hearing, Bowen’s son, J.W., told WSAZ.com that he is “sickened and numb” over the allegations against his father.
J.W. also said this “was not the man who raised me.” He called his father a man of “integrity and honor.”
We have a crew in court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for updated information.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 80, of Barboursville was arrested last Friday.
Bowen is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing in Cabell County Magistrate Court.
We have a crew in court.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for updated information.
The man told WSAZ.com's Bill Murray that he was invited to Bowen's camp several times as a kid and never saw anything related to the allegations against Bowen.
The man even referred to Bowen as a light, saying he "helped show (him) the way."
Meanwhile, a rape crisis counselor told WSAZ.com that it is not unusual for victims of sexual abuse to remain silent -- sometimes for decades -- before reporting incidents to authorities. She says that's mainly because of the stigma attached to sexual assault cases.
Investigators urge anyone who believes they were abused to contact West Virginia State Police at 304-528-5555.
Senior Trp. J. C. Kirk of the West Virginia State Police tells WSAZ.com three additional victims have spoken up, and there is a possibility of more.
Twelve more felony charges were filed against Bowen Saturday, according to Trp. Kirk.
Bowen bond was raised an extra $600,000, setting his total bond now at $1,000,000.
Senior Trp. J. C. Kirk of the West Virginia State Police received a complaint alleging that between the years of 1986 and 1992, Foster “Pete” Bowen of Barboursville, W.Va. had engaged in certain acts of sexual assault of two victims who were both juveniles at the time. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at Mr. Bowen’s residence on Shaw Street in Barboursville. During his investigation, Sr. Trp. Kirk also obtained information that some of the alleged acts may have occurred at a camp which Bowen owned in Bergoo, Webster County.
Sr. Trp. Kirk contacted Senior Trp. J. D. Jordan of the Webster County Detachment of the West Virginia State Police and gave him the information he had obtained during the Cabell County investigation. Using Sr. Trp. Kirk’s information, Sr. Trp. Jordan obtained a search warrant for Bowen’s camp in Bergoo. The search warrant was executed on Thursday and various items of evidence, including undisclosed types of pornographic material were seized from the camp.
The authorities are continuing to investigate the sexual assault allegations in Webster County. According to Webster County Prosecuting Attorney, Dwayne Vandevender there are multiple possible victims to be interviewed and additional charges against Bowen may be filed in Webster County.
The West Virginia State Police is requesting that anyone with information concerning these alleged crimes or similar crimes involving Mr. Bowen to contact their local State Police Detachment. Any questions or requests for interviews should be directed to Trooper J. C. Kirk in Cabell County at 304-528-5555 or Trp. J. D. Jordan in Webster County at 304-226-3200.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
Foster “Pete” Bowen, 80, of Barboursville, was arrested about 10 a.m. on Route 2 in Lesage, W.Va.
Bowen is being charged with the following:
Bowen is currently being held at the Western Regional Jail in Barboursville on a $400,000 cash only bond.
The West Virginia State Police tell WSAZ.com that two male victims came forward on Wednesday claiming that Bowen had sexually assaulted them multiple times from January 1986 - January 1992.
The victims stated that between the ages of eight and 13, they were sexually assaulted by Bowen.
According to the criminal complaint, Bowen lived in the same neighborhood as the two victims. Both victims stated that Bowen began to entice them with hunting trips, riding ATVs and pornography in effort to sexually assault them.
Bowen allegedly performed sexual acts on the young boys, and had the boys perform sexual acts on him as well. All of these occurrences allegedly happened at Bowen's residence in Barboursville.
According to the criminal complaint, one of the victims stated he was sexually assaulted by Bowen about 90 times over the 5 year time frame. The second victim stated that he was sexually assaulted on a daily basis during the 5 year period.
State Police tell WSAZ.com that a third victim that has also come forward in Webster County. The State Police have sent the files to Webster County in order for that detachment to continue with their investigation.
“We have reason to believe that there are more victims that haven’t come forward yet,” said Trooper Kirk.
Trooper Kirk tells WSAZ.com that he hopes when this story comes out in the media that other victims will come forward.
The State Police say because they believe there are more victims, that there is a possibility that more charges are to come. They are requesting anyone with information concerning these alleged crimes or similar crimes involving Bowen to contact their local State Police Detachment.
Keep clicking on WSAZ.com for the latest information.
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