MI~Tae Kwan Do teacher/Edward Bruner caught abusing child/child porn at home

[Missizzy]

He's been caught sexually abusing a 12 year old AND he's taught Tae Kwon Do for years at multiple studios? This is tremendously frightening. Hopefully, even more victims will step forward now that he's in custody. People thought he was a "great guy". He's been married for 30 years. Talk about ready access to children.

Held without bond, thank goodness. Scary guy. Mug shot alert!!


http://www.annarbor.com/news/suspect...me-police-say/

Suspected child pornography found at home of Ann Arbor area tae kwon do instructor, police say

"Michigan State Police investigators searched the Scio Township home of a local martial arts instructor accused of sexually assaulting a child and found suspected child pornography, authorities said this afternoon.

A third person has come forward with allegations in what police say could be a lengthy and complicated investigation into a man who taught Tae Kwon Do at local studios for years.

Edward James Bruner, known as J.R., is being held without bond and currently faces two counts of criminal sexual conduct. Bruner, 58, was arrested Sunday after motorists reported seeing him sexually assaulting a 12-year-old boy in his vehicle on I-94 near Chelsea.

State Police Detective Sgt. Dale Smith confirmed today that police executed a search warrant Tuesday evening at Bruner's home in Scio Farms Estates off Jackson Road in Scio Township. Smith said computers and other evidence were seized, and suspected child pornography was found...."

more at link

Note: There's a growing number of comments by those who knew the man. I'm impressed that while many say he was great and they never expected, that their prayers are with the victims. The right thing to say, thank you people. Interesting that J.R. was known to be "generous" about giving kids rides home. What a helpful guy.


ETA: It is so refreshing to read carefully moderated comments about a disturbing breaking news story. My hat is off to the mods at this site. Lots of info and respectful discourse.

[tlcya]

uggh. Oh Missizzy, every day brings another fresh batch of sick doesnt it.

[Missizzy]

A question. Many commenters state that they never got a "creepy" feeling from J.R.--students, parents and other teachers. Other commenters are not surprised about the arrest and did have a "creepy" feeling. This subject fascinates me. Do some people just not pick up on creepy vibes or is it that the pedophile is capable of modifying his behavior and tone--his vibes?

When our children's rapist was arrested, many many people spoke out that they were not surprised. Our family was very hurt by those statements as not a single person had every mentioned weird vibes or any evidence. We, ourselves, knew that that the perp was "odd" but we wrote that off to some sort of special need--just like our children. In retrospect, we see hundreds of red flags but nothing ever rose to the surface. Interestingly, we set tight boundaries for this young man but he breached them. We felt terribly guilty (still do) about allowing our children to play with him. But he not only abused them at our yard and his home but at local parks (in the restroom while we were in the park area) and the school (again, in the restroom). I think back and consider my actions. I vividly remember him politely asking if he could show one of our boys where the restroom was at the park. It makes my blood run cold to know that I had just been had and my little boy was walking off to be sexually assaulted--not 100 feet from where I sat. If I'd had truly creepy vibes, there would have been no way I would have allowed that. It didn't help that my son was asking for the young man to go with him. My kids looked up to this teen.

I'm so curious as to why some sense creepy vibes and others don't. My guess is that many of the parents and families victimized by this man will be asking these same questions. Oh, how my heart hurts for them. They all have such a tough road ahead of them. There's no choice but to trudge onward.

[tlcya]

I really don't know why it is that some get the vibe and some don't. I do know that it is hurtful to second guess your lack of one in your own circumstance. It does no good to go through the coulda shoulda woulda's at this late date. As your friend I say, based on what you have told us about this abuser and the community you live in, you were not alone in your lack of vibeness. Everyone was lacking that vibe about this person.

[Missizzy]

Thank you tlcox. That's very kind but the fact of the matter is that he did get past both my husband and me and we'll always carry that guilt. It was our responsibility to keep our children safe and we failed miserably. Just the fact of the matter. Something I have to live with. Something far too many otherwise loving and devoted parents have to deal with.

I'm just curious whether each person picks up vibes differently, given their own life experiences and whether the perps can turn off and on their vibes. I honestly believe that our senses concerning personal safety have been turned down a notch and we let the "intellectual" side of our brain take over....when the "reptilian" part of our brain is screaming NOOOO!!

[tlcya]

I have very well honed vibiness due to childhood experiences. A part of my experience that I can be "grateful" for I guess. It left me with perv radar. So yes, life experience may play a role.. My childhood also left me with a skill at reading people and an ability to put myself in their shoes and decipher their motivations to a degree.

[Missizzy]

Well, I guess, Master Bruner was not quite the wonderful guy that many thought him to be. First an earlier update, which I missed from February. What an incredibly brave young man:

http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/t...ssault-charge/

Tae kwon do instructor facing new sexual assault, child pornography charges

"....The second victim, now 19, recently came forward, alleging Bruner sexually assaulted him at a Chelsea home on one occasion in 2004, Etue said. At that time, Bruner was teaching at Ann Arbor West Tae Kwon Do in Scio Township, where the victim was a student of his, Det. Sgt. Dale Smith said.

According to court records, Bruner's wife of more than 34 years has filed for divorce. Bruner is scheduled to return to court Feb. 24 for a preliminary hearing. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison...."

more at link (and comments about different studios)



Then an update from today:

http://dexter.patch.com/articles/for...l-assault-case

Former Tae Kwon Do Instructor Takes Plea Deal in Sexual Assault Case

"A Scio Township man, accused of assaulting children he taught as a martial arts instructor throughout Washtenaw County, agreed to spend the next 20 to 30 years in prison under a plea deal with prosecutors on March 23.

Edward Bruner, 58, will officially be sentenced May 3 on two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child younger than 13, and one count of possessing child sexually abusive material, court records show. Washtenaw County Circuit Judge Donald Shelton already has said he will apply state sentencing guidelines that call for a minimum of 20 years incarceration...."

and

"...Michigan State Police troopers arrested Bruner in January, after motorists reported seeing him driving erratically while engaged in a sex act with another individual on westbound I-94 near Chelsea. Investigators said the person in the car was a 12-year-old boy that Bruner instructed at Kitchi Tae Kwon Do in Dexter Township, where he worked for more than two years.

The studio is owned and operated by Mike Trester, a Washtenaw County Sheriff’s detective lieutenant. Trester said Bruner passed a thorough background check and never showed signs of dangerous or suspicious activity with the students.

Bruner also worked at the Ann Arbor West Tae Kwon Do and Victory Tae Kwon Do in Chelsea. Investigators said Bruner used the martial arts studios as a venue to meet and contact victims, whom he also developed relationships [NOT RELATIONSHIPS!!!!] with outside of the businesses.

and

"...Bruner remains in custody at the Washtenaw County Jail without bond."

more at link (sorry about yelling but they were NOT relationships, they were predatory contact)