How Could You? Hall of Shame-Marcus Yoder

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From Mount Vernon, Missouri, Marcus Yoder, 36, was sentenced for “seven life sentences this week for sexual abuse that included foster children in the 1990s and early 2000s that went uncharged until a revived investigation in 2013 turned up more than 20 suspected victims.”

“Yoder, who an official said grew up in a foster home himself, pleaded guilty recently to four counts of first-degree statutory rape and three counts of first-degree statutory sodomy.

Prosecutor Don Trotter said the convictions pertain to the sexual abuse of two girls and two boys.

A probable-cause affidavit states that Yoder began molesting one of the girls in 1992 when she was 6 years old. He would have been about 12 at the time. The girl disclosed to investigators that he forced sexual intercourse on her beginning in 1995 when she was 9 and continuing until May 2001 when she would have been about 15.

A sister of the first girl told investigators that he had forced sexual intercourse on her from 1997 when she was 7 until May 2001 when she was 11. The investigation three years ago turned up a witness who confirmed seeing Yoder sexually abuse both girls six times between November 1997 and May 2001.

The abuse of the two boys took place in the summer of 1999 when they were 10 and 11, according to the affidavit.

Trotter said the sexual abuse of the victims went unreported to authorities for a few years.

The prosecutor said the birth mother of one of the victims tried unsuccessfully to bring the matter to the attention of the state. He said he believes the allegations were first reported to authorities in 1999 or 2000, which led to an investigation drawn out over several years and various lead investigators.

Trotter said charges were not filed until October 2013 a couple of months after Detective Chris Berry took over the case and began locating and interviewing victims who had grown up and, in some cases, moved to other states.

“We located 23 victims in all, but we didn’t charge (him with) all of them,” Trotter said.

He said about half the victims had been foster children.

Convicted man

Marcus Yoder, who worked as a truck driver, lived in recent years in both Webb City and Carthage. ”

Child sexual predator draws seven life terms [Joplin Globe 4/21/16 by Jeff Lehr]

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