“The Utah County Sheriff’s Office has made a second arrest in its ritualistic child sex abuse investigation,” Fox 13 investigative reporter Adam Herbets said Wednesday.
“Rosie Hamblin is currently being booked on one charge of sodomy on a child. She’s the ex-wife of therapist David Hamblin who was arrested last year.”
BREAKING – The Utah County Sheriff’s Office has made a second arrest in its ritualistic child sex abuse investigation.
Rosie Hamblin is currently being booked on one charge of sodomy on a child.
She’s the ex-wife of therapist David Hamblin who was arrested last year. pic.twitter.com/NHJwJpH2yj
— Adam Herbets, FOX 13 🏔️ (@AdamHerbets) August 9, 2023
“Investigators say David Hamblin forced a child to perform oral sex on Rosie Hamblin. I attempted to speak with her at her home in Utah County last year. She declined to comment,” Herbets continued.
“Police say the incident occurred in Spring City in or around the year 1994. The girl was under 13. Rosie Hamblin’s new last name is Stevenson. She is 70 years old.”
Police say the incident occurred in Spring City in or around the year 1994.
The girl was under 13.
Rosie Hamblin’s new last name is Stevenson. She is 70 years old.
— Adam Herbets, FOX 13 🏔️ (@AdamHerbets) August 9, 2023
The Utah County Sheriff’s Department started the investigation after reports of alleged “ritualistic child sexual abuse” and a sex trafficking ring perpetrated by high-profile individuals within the state for over two decades.
Detectives with the UCSO Special Victims Unit say the alleged crimes and sex trafficking took place between 1990 and 2010 in Juab and Sanpete counties.
Special Victims Unit Detectives with @UCSO, working with investigators from multiple county and federal agencies are investigating reports of ritualistic child sexual abuse from as far back as 1990. We need your help. https://t.co/eJ4rwoElkA
— Utah County Sheriff (@UCSO) May 31, 2022
“In April of 2021, an investigation began into ritualistic child sexual abuse and child sex trafficking that occurred in Utah County,” the department said in a press release.
“The ensuing investigation discovered that other victims had previously reported similar forms of ritualistic sexual abuse and trafficking that occurred in Utah County, Juab County and Sanpete County during the time between 1990 and 2010. Portions of these allegations were confirmed.”
“These allegations are being investigated by the Utah County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with other local and federal agencies,” the Utah Sheriff’s Department continued.
“We are pleading with the public and encourage victims or individuals with knowledge of these crimes to contact the Utah County Sheriff’s Office Special Victim’s Unit so that they can be offered all the assistance possible. We understand that there are individuals who have concerns for their safety and/or well-being who have been silenced. We need your help.”
“Utah County Sheriff’s Office seeks information on ‘ritualistic child sexual abuse’ and child sex trafficking. I’ve been investigating the case for months. I can confirm some subjects of the investigation are high-profile individuals,” Herbets wrote last year.
“One of the targets of the investigation was a therapist previously charged with a series of sex crimes against young female family members. The Utah County Attorney’s Office dropped charges, and the man was not convicted. Police reports indicate they had a taped confession.”
One of the targets of the investigation was a therapist previously charged with a series of sex crimes against young female family members.
The Utah County Attorney's Office dropped charges, and the man was not convicted.
Police reports indicate they had a taped confession. pic.twitter.com/ZqXGQVsCyG
— Adam Herbets, FOX 13 🏔️ (@AdamHerbets) June 1, 2022
Fox 13 wrote in September 2022:
The Utah County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a suspect in an ongoing ritualistic child sex abuse investigation.
ADVERTISEMENTFormer therapist David Hamblin, 68, was previously charged with 18 counts of sexual assault. He was taken into custody Wednesday morning and booked on the following:
- 3 counts of sodomy on a child
- Rape of a child
- 2 counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child
- Lewdness involving a child
According to records obtained by FOX 13 News, Hamblin had previously confessed to sexually assaulting at least one of his female family members in an undercover phone recording.
“I am sorry for raping you,” Hamblin reportedly said. “I’m not saying it isn’t true… I’m not saying somebody in my body didn’t do it.”
The Utah County Attorney’s Office dropped all charges.
Hamblin lost his license and was excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In an interview with FOX 13 News in April, alleged victim Brett Bluth described a long period of abuse and grooming by Hamblin as he tried to “heal” Bluth of his homosexuality.
“Nearly one year after a former Utah County therapist was arrested as part of an ongoing child sex abuse investigation, his ex-wife has also been arrested,” Fox 13 wrote Wednesday.
From Fox 13:
Roselle “Rosie” Stevenson was booked into jail Wednesday afternoon on one count of sodomy against a girl under age 13. A judge has ordered that Stevenson will be held without bail.
Police say the incident occurred at a home in Spring City in 1994 when the victim was six years old until she was approximately 12 or 13 years old.
Court documents state that during investigations, it was found that Stevenson was one of the main suspects in the series of sexual assaults of several children over an extended period.
Stevenson is the ex-wife of former therapist David Hamblin, who was arrested on multiple charges including rape of a child, two counts of sexual abuse of a child and three counts of sodomy on a child.
Stevenson’s case is directly related to charges previously filed against David Hamblin and are part of an ongoing investigation involving sexual abuse of children in Utah, Juab and Sanpete Counties during the 1980s and 1990s.
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