Mom of 4
May 6th, 2008, 11:18 AM
http://i31.tinypic.com/2ekp6ad.jpg
Residents in Mitchell are in shock as a youth baseball coach confesses to raping and sexually abusing three young boys. And police tell us there may be up to 100 victims.
Court documents show 45-year-old Ronald Dahme was arrested Friday. The attacks reportedly happened between 1998 and 2004. And may have happened as late as 2006.
Police confirmed the victims are boys Ronald Dahme at one point had coached or mentored. With Dahme being a Mitchell baseball coach for almost 15 years, police believe there may be more charges to come.
It's a case Mitchell residents are finding hard to believe, including Mike Wermers, a neighbor of Ronald Dahme's.
"He's such a nice guy it just doesn't seem possible. Doesn't seem possible," said Mike Wermers, a neighbor and acquaintance.
This case began last Wednesday when police first received allegations from someone legally required to report abuse. By Friday, he was called into the Public Safety Building for questioning. Investigators are now trying to figure out how many young men Dahme may have victimized.
"It could potentially be hundreds of children. He was apparently a Sunday school teacher at church. He was also involved in various school activities," stated Lt. Don Everson with the Mitchell Public Safety Department.
Court documents state "...Dahme admits to numerous sexual acts as described by the victims. The sexual abuse occurred on a very regular basis..."
It's especially hard to grasp for those who were coached by Dahme, some of whom are now on the Mitchell High School baseball team. Those we spoke with said they could never picture Dahme doing such a thing. But for Wermers, a confession hard to dismiss.
"There's no questions if he came up and admitted to it, then that's really a shame for his family and for all the families that were involved," stated Wermers.
The Davison County State's Attorney also told KSFY some crimes may go back far enough that the statute of limitations and they can't be prosecuted.
http://www.ksfy.com/news/local/18676684.html
Residents in Mitchell are in shock as a youth baseball coach confesses to raping and sexually abusing three young boys. And police tell us there may be up to 100 victims.
Court documents show 45-year-old Ronald Dahme was arrested Friday. The attacks reportedly happened between 1998 and 2004. And may have happened as late as 2006.
Police confirmed the victims are boys Ronald Dahme at one point had coached or mentored. With Dahme being a Mitchell baseball coach for almost 15 years, police believe there may be more charges to come.
It's a case Mitchell residents are finding hard to believe, including Mike Wermers, a neighbor of Ronald Dahme's.
"He's such a nice guy it just doesn't seem possible. Doesn't seem possible," said Mike Wermers, a neighbor and acquaintance.
This case began last Wednesday when police first received allegations from someone legally required to report abuse. By Friday, he was called into the Public Safety Building for questioning. Investigators are now trying to figure out how many young men Dahme may have victimized.
"It could potentially be hundreds of children. He was apparently a Sunday school teacher at church. He was also involved in various school activities," stated Lt. Don Everson with the Mitchell Public Safety Department.
Court documents state "...Dahme admits to numerous sexual acts as described by the victims. The sexual abuse occurred on a very regular basis..."
It's especially hard to grasp for those who were coached by Dahme, some of whom are now on the Mitchell High School baseball team. Those we spoke with said they could never picture Dahme doing such a thing. But for Wermers, a confession hard to dismiss.
"There's no questions if he came up and admitted to it, then that's really a shame for his family and for all the families that were involved," stated Wermers.
The Davison County State's Attorney also told KSFY some crimes may go back far enough that the statute of limitations and they can't be prosecuted.
http://www.ksfy.com/news/local/18676684.html