A Colorado man has been charged with producing child pornography while repeatedly molesting a Red Bluff girl during visits to her Marjie Avenue home during a seven-year period.
The case broke when the girl, now a teenager, made the decision to disclose the sexual abuse when she learned the suspect, 61-year-old Mervin Edy Wolf, planned a visit to the area in June. It has been reported the alleged victim was also afraid Wolf would begin molesting her younger sibling.
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Wolf, of Englewood, Colo., appeared before a U.S. Magistrate judge on March 6 and was charged with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct and production of child pornography. He was back in court on Tuesday for a detention and preliminary hearing.
Wolf, formerly of Red Bluff, moved to Colorado with his wife in 1999, but returned to the victim’s home up to three times a year to visit relatives, usually for a two-week period of time, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
It is reported the molestation began when the girl was around 7, and the child pornography of the molestation began about two year later.
The FBI said during each of those trips Wolf would force the girl to “perform and participate in an escalating patter of sexual acts which Wolf would photograph or video tape.”
During several of these occurrences, Wolf’s wife and relatives would be in the home, reportedly unaware of what was happening.
In January 2013, the girl telephoned Wolf stating she was afraid she was pregnant from Wolf’s sexual abuse.
“Wolf told the minor child he would pay for an abortion if she was in fact pregnant by Wolf,” reported the FBI. “Wolf mailed two home pregnancy tests to the minor child. She took the tests and learned she was not pregnant.”
When the girl’s family learned of the abuse, other family members came forward to report abuse by Wolf.
On March 5, minutes before a federal search warrant was executed at Wolf’s Englewood residence, the Red Bluff victim called Wolf on a cellphone, at the direction Tehama County Sheriff’s Office which recorded the call, at which time Wolf confirmed the sexual relationship between him and the victim, reported the FBI.
Wolf also confirmed the production of pictures and videos of the sex acts with the girl. However, he told the girl the pictures had been destroyed and no one would find them.
During the search of Wolf’s home, FBI agents said they seized a 8mm video camera, a digital camera, a camera tripod, and a laptop, among other items. Electronic media are currently undergoing forensic examination.
The FBI learned during the investigation Wolf and his wife were foster parents in 2003, and two of the foster children, both girls under the age of 7, had been sexually abuse by Wolf. No charges were filed in those cases, but due to the allegations, the Wolfs’ Colorado foster care license was revoked.
“As this case demonstrates, our society will not tolerate sexual abuse of children,” U.S. Attorney John Walsh stated. “In this case, the defendant not only traveled across state lines to sexually exploit a minor child, he also documented that horrible behavior using video recording devices. Prosecuting cases such as this are a priority to protect innocent victims.”
If convicted of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, Wolf faces not less than 30 years and up to life in federal prison, as well as up to a $250,000 fine. If convicted of production of child pornography, Wolf faces not less than 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison, as well as up to a $250,000 fine.
“The FBI and our partners will continue to vigorously investigate all allegations of conduct that exploits and jeopardizes the well-being of our children,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ravenelle. “We encourage anyone who suspects this type of activity to immediately report their information to law enforcement.”
This FBI and the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office asks that anyone who may have formation about this case to contact the Denver FBI office at 303-629-7171.
