GUILTY WA - Michael Norris for sex abuse, child *advertiser censored*, Vancouver, 2011

Is there no limit to how long a person can be forced to wait for a trial? I understand that there is tussling over evidence but 4 1/2 years is a long time for justice. To say nothing of child witnesses that might be called to testify. Even if they have excellent taped interviews, the children still have to testify to the veracity of the tapes and to the details of each allegation.

Or does Norris feel safer in jail than on the streets?

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/...federally-on-child-*advertiser censored*-cha/

Former youth minister indicted on federal child *advertiser censored* charges
He faces local trial on allegations of abusing 2 children

"A federal grand jury has indicted a Vancouver man — already facing trial in Clark County on allegations of abusing two young children — on 17 counts of child *advertiser censored*-related charges.

The grand jury returned the indictment Wednesday charging Michael Scott Norris, a former youth minister and Bible camp counselor, with 11 counts of production of child *advertiser censored* relating to sexual tapes he allegedly produced of a 10-year-old girl and her 11-year-old brother, whom he met at church...."

and

"...Norris remains in custody in the Clark County Jail, awaiting a March 21 trial in Clark County Superior Court on 13 child rape and molestation charges...."

and

"....Norris has been waiting to go to trial on his local case since August 2006. But the case has been stalled over an evidence dispute......"

more at link

Not only a youth minister and camp counselor but a medical assistant:

http://www.justice.gov/usao/nj/press/files/pdffiles/emisrel.pdf

"....Michael Norris, Vancouver, WA: A former camp counselor/medical assistant at a
Bible camp as well as a former lay youth minister at a church, Norris admitted to
sexually abusing at least four children and manufacturing pornographic images of at least two of them when ICE agents executed a search warrant at his residence to seize his computer....."


Looks like Norris is not going anywhere. This document is an interesting window into the inner workings of a major child *advertiser censored* bust in 2006, Operation Emissary, and shows how interconnected the cases are. Once again I have to wonder if former neighbors of each of the men outlined are aware of just where they are.

Norris' church hasn't even been named. I know that the feds investigate but how about a child who was visiting family in the area for a single week and then returns to Texas (or wherever). If the perp doesn't include the child's name, how do we find him/her?

This keeps me awake at night. I often think that children should be taught how to call a hotline for abuse. We teach them to call 911 for an emergency, don't we?

Man, that took a long long time!! And what happened to the charges connected to the other two children? I don't like it one bit when trials drag on this long. Victims and their families really deserve some closure.

http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/mar/02/former-youth-minister-agrees-to-35-years-in-prison/

Former youth minister agrees to 35 years in prison

"The child sex abuse and *advertiser censored* case of a former youth minister that stalled for four years took a major step toward resolution Wednesday. In paperwork filed in Clark County [WA] Superior Court, Michael S. Norris admitted to sexually abusing two young children between 2003 and 2006...."

and

"...In the agreement, Norris stipulated to a list of facts that he raped and molested a 10-year-old girl and her 12-year-old brother, whom he met at church. He also admitted to filming the acts.

In his written confession, he agrees to a sentence of 35 years to life in prison; after 35 years, his case would go before a sentencing review board, which would decide when he’s fit to be released...."

more at link

Some interesting comments at the link above. I found one that named the church and attempted to verify that with the Oregonian article from 2006, which seems to have disappeared. Thankfully, someone had the foresight to save it and I found it via a comment:

http://www.netgrace.org/content/images/Oct212006.pdf

"A Vancouver man charged with sex crimes against two Clark County children was supervised as a classroom aide at the Portland church he attended and was never left alone with children, the church pastor said Friday.

Michael Scott Norris, 40, attended the Open Bible Church in Southeast Portland until about four years ago, a year before he moved from Portland to Vancouver...."

and

"....Norris worked as a laboratory technician at Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital for the past year. Before that, [Pastor] Newell said, he worked part-time at Woodland Park Hospital and Glendoveer Golf Course.


more at link


One wonders at which church the abuse occurred. If it was Open Bible, I'm very hopeful that the pastor retracts or corrects some of his statements made in this article. Also, there is just no way, IMO, that this man did not access other victims through his work contacts. His trial was originally set for Feb. 2007 and he's just now pleading. This seems outrageous to me, on so many levels.

Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital is in Vancouver, WA but Woodland Park Hospital was in Portland. Was is the operative word. Very curious that it closed not long after Norris was arrested:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodland_Park_Hospital

Glendoveer Golf Course is in Northeast Portland and the Open Bible Church is in Southeast Portland. This guy got around. For those not familiar with your northwest geography, Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA are "sister" cities on opposite sides of the Columbia River.

I'm relieved to see that this case finally has some closure and that Norris is not going anywhere for a long long time. I'm not sure I realized that Norris was caught after posting the vile videos online. Those poor children. They've endured far too much trauma.

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/article/Molesting-youth-pastor-sentenced-for-making-child-3464678.php

Molesting youth pastor sentenced for making child *advertiser censored*
April 6, 2012


"A Vancouver youth pastor caught making child *advertiser censored* has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Sentenced Friday, Michael Scott Norris, 45, previously admitted to making numerous pornographic videos of two siblings, whom he also molested. Norris was arrested in 2006 after Homeland Security officers found he was sharing the videos online, and has been jailed since...."

and

Norris admitted to molesting and videotaping the brother and sister over three years after gaining the trust of their parents. He coerced the children – at times as young as 10 – to perform sex acts on him and each other...."


More at link

A long and winding road road to justice:

http://www.oregonlive.com/clark-cou...land_bible_camp_cou.html#incart_river_default

Former Portland Bible Camp counselor gets 35 years for sexually abusing children
September 5, 2012


"A former counselor at a Portland [OR] Bible camp was sentenced Tuesday in Vancouver to 35 years in prison for sexually abusing two children he knew through church. Forty-six-year-old Michael Scott Norris of Vancouver was convicted in July of child rape and molestation...."

and

"....The case was delayed by a dispute over evidence and a separate federal prosecution of Norris for producing child *advertiser censored*. He received a 25-year child *advertiser censored* sentence that will be served at the same time as his state sentence for rape."

More at link