How Could You? Hall of Shame-Ronald Jay Green II 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 Tulsa County, Oklahoma, former DHS worker Ronald Jay Green II, 23, “was charged Thursday [January 12, 2012] in Tulsa County District Court with one count of forcible oral sodomy, and Special Judge David Youll issued a warrant for his arrest.
Green worked in the Stillwater DHS office from May through October 2010 as a temporary social worker aide and was paid $8.80 an hour, according to DHS spokeswoman Sheree Powell.
On Sept. 13, 2010, Green was transporting a 15-year-old foster child from Stillwater to a Tulsa placement when he allegedly engaged in the sex act, said Jessica Brown, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
The victim came forward last year with the allegations, and the OSBI was called by Stillwater police Sept. 26 to oversee the investigation, Brown said.”
“Green has no disciplinary actions on file with DHS because the allegations were made after he resigned, Powell stated in an email.
“The accusations against Mr. Green are disgusting and extremely disturbing,” Powell wrote. “The safety of the children entrusted into our care is our top priority. Although the disclosure of this incident came out almost a year after Mr. Green resigned from (DHS), our staff immediately reported it to the proper authorities for investigation.”
The commission overseeing the DHS this month agreed to a settlement agreement of a federal class-action lawsuit that had alleged abuses in the state’s foster-care system. Part of the allegations involved staffing, training and reasonable workloads to ensure the safety of children while they are in DHS care.
The settlement agreement has to be approved by a federal judge.
The suit was filed by Children’s Rights, a New York-based child advocacy group.”
Former DHS employee faces sex charge against 15-year-old foster child
[Tulsa World 1/18/12 by Ginnie Graham]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Sick!Caputo said communications from lawmakers supporting Green had no impact on his decision.[Riiiiight!]
“I think it’s pretty clear that Ronald Green is not a threat to society. … Nothing that happened was his idea, and he took responsibility for what he did.” [No he did not take responsibility for what he did. He did not turn himself in to the police, he resigned. Big difference.]
First Assistant District Attorney Doug Drummond said prosecutors recommended a sentence of five years in prison and five years of probation for Green. He said state law does not allow a deferred sentence in such cases.
“We think the law is clear. A person convicted of a sex offense (or who plead guilty) is not eligible for a deferred sentence. … In this case, we made no request to vacate the sentence and still believe our initial recommendation to be proper in the case.”
Green, 24, was charged on Jan. 12, 2012, in Tulsa County District Court with forcible oral sodomy involving a 15-year-old girl in foster care. He was transporting the girl from Stillwater to Tulsa on Oct. 13, 2010, to visit her mother, records show.
Green – an OSU student at the time and a former foster child himself – had worked for DHS for about five months as a temporary social work aide. He was allowed to transport the girl alone despite agency policy requiring two transport workers, court records state. [And is DHS going to be investigated for the blatant disregard in their transportation policy?]
“I eventually fell short and gave into this terrible act. The act only lasted maybe 4 minutes. [TMI] Then I told her to stop, and I drove her home. … A few days later I resigned from the job immediately,” Green stated, according to the report.
The girl did not report the incident until almost a year later, law enforcement reports state.
The girl told a DHS supervisor “that he (Green) did not force her to do it (and) that she was coming onto him,” according to the supervisor’s statement.
The presentencing investigation report notes that regardless of whether the girl consented to the act, the offense “is indicative of a care giver abusing his authority.” State law forbids DHS employees or other officials with authority over juveniles from having sexual contact with them, regardless of consent.
The report states that Green is married and now employed full time, with support from his family. [So what? MANDATORY sentence should mean something.]
“Although the defendant appears to be a suitable candidate for probation, this officer would recommend that the defendant not receive a deferred sentence,” states the presentencing report.
Green pleaded guilty to a charge of forcible oral sodomy on April 9 without a plea agreement in place, court records show.
On May 30, Caputo sentenced Green to two years in prison, followed by eight years of probation, records show.
Four days later, on June 3, Caputo ordered that sentence vacated and granted Green a 10-year sentencing deferral, withholding a finding of guilt, records show. The agreement requires Green to register as a sex offender and adhere to conditions of probation.
Caputo said: “I spent the weekend thinking about the decision I made and came to the conclusion that I needed to vacate the decision.”
Then-Sen. Richard Lerblance wrote a letter on Green’s behalf to the court, dated Sept. 17, 2012, records show.
The letter states that Ler-blance, D-Hartshorne, met Green while Green was in junior high and helping his foster parents with a cattle sale.
“Ronald is a person that I would go to bat for in any situation that his character, demeanor or truthfulness was in question,” Lerblance’s letter states. [But he pled GUILTY to a Sex Crime with a Child!]
Several other letters were sent to the court urging leniency for Green, including letters from his wife and mother-in-law, records show. A current or former member of the state’s congressional delegation also reportedly contacted the court regarding the case, but no record of that contact exists in the file.
Although Caputo says he recalls seeing a letter on congressional letterhead, he said he does not remember who wrote it. He said all letters written in the case should have been filed with other records in the case.
Caputo said the letters had no bearing on his decision to vacate his sentence.
“There was no outside influence from any source,” he said.
“I’d reiterate that I spoke to no one or reviewed any documents before I changed my sentence.””
Sick!
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