How Could You? Hall of Shame-Guam-Ike Andon Elickios and Ryan Cruz/R.J. Leon Guerrero UPDATED

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 Guam, partner of a foster mother, Ike Andon Elickios, 36, is “accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl over several years.”

“On April 18, a walk-in complaint was made against Ike Andon Elickios, 36, who has since been charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct as first-degree felonies, a magistrate’s complaint filed in the Superior Court of Guam stated.

The woman who made the complaint is the foster mother of the 14-year-old.

According to court documents, the teenager told officers that she had been sexually assaulted by Elickios since she was in the fifth grade. The complaint identified Elickios as the partner of the girl’s foster mother, and he lived in the same household as the teen.

On April 18, a walk-in complaint was made against Ike Andon Elickios, 36, who has since been charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct as first-degree felonies, a magistrate’s complaint filed in the Superior Court of Guam stated.

The woman who made the complaint is the foster mother of the 14-year-old.

According to court documents, the teenager told officers that she had been sexually assaulted by Elickios since she was in the fifth grade. The complaint identified Elickios as the partner of the girl’s foster mother, and he lived in the same household as the teen.

During the most recent incident, which was alleged to have occurred March 31, the girl was asleep in her bedroom when she woke up to the sound of the door opening. She was lying on her bed facing the wall when she felt someone reach into her shorts and touch her private parts, the complaint stated.

The minor then felt someone pull her shorts down before being raped, according to charging documents.

“When the ordeal was over, the (girl) turned and saw the silhouette of the defendant as he exited the (girl’s) room,” the complaint stated, before adding another incident occurred in January this year.

Elickios allegedly admitted to police he entered the teen’s bedroom on the evening of the March incident after he had consumed about 12 cans of beer. He further admitted to the sexual assault “but stated that he thought the (girl) was his partner” before indicating he was drunk and could not confirm the details of the assault, according to the complaint.

Elickios, at a magistrate’s hearing on April 20, was committed to the Department of Corrections on $25,000 cash bail.

The Guam Daily Post inquired with Department of Public Health and Social Services spokesperson Don Sulat for a comment, however, Sulat could not provide one nor could he confirm if the child was still in the foster parent’s care “due to it being a pending criminal investigation.”

Foster parents

The case against Elickios comes after a foster parent, Ryan Joshua Cruz, was charged with criminal sexual conduct. Cruz’s case prompted the Guam Legislature to call an oversight hearing for DPHSS last week.

The oversight hearing was held by senators who are part of the Committee on Land, Health, Justice and Culture to discuss with DPHSS the vetting process for potential foster parents.

The point of concern for senators was the fact that Cruz not only was previously charged with sexual assault but also that he had an active case from a September 2022 accusation. Another 2018 case with similar charges against Cruz was dismissed and expunged from his record because the accuser’s statement was recanted.

DPHSS representatives explained to senators they were unable to comment on Cruz’s case due to the ongoing investigation but presented changes they have made to their process following Cruz’s most recent case.

However, Sen. Joanne Brown, vice chair of the committee, expressed her anger and concern Cruz was allowed to be a foster parent.

In light of the charges against Elickios, the Post reached out to Brown for a comment considering her concern at the oversight hearing that other foster children may have become victims.

“I think (Elickios’ case) is bringing to light even many more concerns about how this process of placing children … is being done and why did these circumstances happen,” said Brown. “I’m assuming they should have vetted not just the foster parent but any immediate individual that would be within the immediate household to ensure that the child’s being placed in a safe environment.”

According to the Office of the Attorney General’s criminal background history report, Elickios had no criminal record prior to the charges filed Thursday.

Brown also stated she is demanding another oversight hearing be held to allow DPHSS Director Arthur San Agustin to be subpoenaed and attend the hearing. The DPHSS officials present at the previous hearing stated San Agustin was unable to make the event”

Partner of foster parent accused of sexually assaulting child, 14
[The Guam Daily Post 4/23/23 by Shane Tenorio Healy]

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: “In Superior Court today, 32-year-old Ryan Cruz denied the allegations that he sexually abused a foster child placed in his care.

Cruz pleaded not guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct and six counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct before Magistrate Judge Benjamin Sison.

He waived his speedy trial rights.

As we reported, the boy – just 12 years old – allegedly told authorities Cruz molested him over several days – not long after Cruz was approved to be his foster parent.

Cruz was arrested on similar charges about six months prior to the alleged abuse.

Since the case surfaced, the Department of Public Health and Social Services responded by strengthening background checks for foster parent applicants. ”

Foster parent denies sex abuse charges
[The Guam Daily Post 5/10/23 by Nick Delgado]

Update 2: “Superior Court Judge Alberto Tolentino on Friday granted a request to delay proceedings for Ryan Joshua Cruz, a former foster parent charged with sexually abusing minors in his care, to give parties time for plea negotiations.

Cruz faces one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, all first-degree felonies.

Cruz, also known as R.J. Leon Guerrero, is accused of sexually abusing a 12-year-old foster child placed in his care in February 2023.

Court documents state the abuse included daily inappropriate touching while the child was asleep, an oral sexual assault on February 26, 2023, and an incident in a vehicle where Cruz allegedly touched the boy’s thigh and testicles and asked if they could shower together.

The case has been continued multiple times since.

Defense attorney Jon A. Visosky told the court that they are currently negotiating terms in the plea agreement and are working on a counter offer and asked for another hearing so they could work out terms.

Tolentino approved the request, despite previous warnings.

“Let’s give them a little more time to work on the deal. I know I promised that if there was no deal by then, I’d set it over for trial, right? But it seems like they are actively negotiating,” he said.

Tolentino set the next hearing for Nov. 14 [2025]. Cruz agreed to the date without objection.

According to court documents, on March 1, 2023, Guam Police responded to a report from a Child Protective Services social worker regarding allegations of sexual abuse involving the teenager. The boy reported repeated sexual abuse after being placed with Cruz in mid-February 2023.

This is not the first time Cruz has faced such accusations.

In September 2022, he was charged with sexually abusing a boy under 13 between 2010 and 2017, court documents state.

Cruz denied the accusations, saying the boy’s family “calls him a molester and (they are) jealous of him.”

The child, now an adult in his 20s, said the abuse started when he was 4 or 5 and included oral sex and inappropriate touching.

After the boy turned 13, “all the touching had stopped.”

The alleged victim told police the incidents still make him upset and angry, and that he does not want to attend school and has thought about taking drugs.

Cruz was charged with one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, all first-degree felonies.

In 2018, Cruz was charged with assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct as a third-degree felony and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct as a misdemeanor. Cruz denied the allegations, according to court documents.

In April 2023, senators called for stricter background checks on potential foster parents following Cruz’s placement of a foster child despite previous sexual abuse charges, PDN files state.

Some lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the system’s oversight and urged more scrutiny of the Department of Public Health and Social Services.

Despite Cruz being charged twice before taking a minor into his custody in February, he was never convicted. Testimony from then Health Committee chair Speaker Therese Terlaje revealed his record was expunged.”
Plea negotiations delay proceedings for foster parent accused of sexual abuse
[Pacific Daily News 8/16/25 by Julianne Hernandez]