Dad on trial for torturing son (Victorville, California)

Father RICHARD JAY SWANK is on trial for years of sexual abuse and torture targeted at his son. Note that below this more recent account is an article from March, where we find out that Dad is a former school psychologist. Frightening, that someone like that was counseling our kids while he was raping his own.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/victorville-13946-abuse-father.html

Sibling recounts horrific abuse by father
Man on trial for multiple counts of sexual attacks on son
August 17, 2009 2:41 PM
PATRICK THATCHER Staff Writer

VICTORVILLE • Through tears, the daughter of a man on trial for years of allegedly abusing his son told of a time when her father gave her a gun and tried to get her to kill her abused brother.

The trial of Richard Jay Swank, 47, charged with multiple counts of sexual of abuse of a child, opened on Monday morning with Deputy District Attorney Kathleen DiDonato describing a horrendous life of the victim — not just from sexual abuse but also years of torture, beatings, starvation and isolation from the rest of the family.

“The beatings at the hands of his father started when the victim was about three or four years old,” DiDonato told the jury. “Shortly before 10 years old is when years and years of sexual abuse began that included repeated sodomizing and oral copulation.”

Swank is charged with multiple counts of continuous sexual abuse of a child, sexual penetration with a foreign object and oral copulation by force.

Here is an account from the victim in March:

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/victorville-11587-abuse-years.html

Victim recounts years of sexual abuse by his father
Sex crimes suspect wrote novel about sex, drugs and corruption
March 30, 2009 12:07 PM
PATRICK THATCHER Staff Writer

VICTORVILLE • A witness testified Monday that his father, a former school psychologist, substitute teacher and author, sexually abused him for eight years and once put a gun to his head.

The victim, now 24, recounted years of alleged sexual abuse by Richard Jay Swank, 48, of Apple Valley.

In his testimony the victim told of sexual, physical and mental abuse by his father that lasted from age 10 until he left home at 18.

The victim is one of 15 children ranging in age from 3 to 26 and reportedly the only one to suffer the sexual abuse.

His mother, who said she divorced Swank last fall, and four of his brothers and sisters were in the courtroom as the victim explicitly detailed the abuse.

He didn’t report the abuse because he was fearful of his father who threaten to kill him.

Following one sexual incident the victim testified that his father put a loaded 9 mm Beretta handgun to his head and said he would kill him and anyone he told.

The victim said the last incident of sexual abuse occurred a week before his 18th birthday. He said he left home soon after turning 18 and just wanted to disappear.

The testimony was part of a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence to hold Swank for trial. Judge Bridgid McCann ordered Swank to stand trial.

Swank is a former substitute teacher for the Adelanto School District and a district psychologist for Keppel Union Elementary School District in Pearblossom.

He is charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse including continuous sexual abuse of a child and oral copulation by force and sexual penetration with a foreign object with force causing bodily injury.

Swank is author of “Simon’s Shadows,” a novel about sex, drugs and corruption in the California school system. Swank wrote two other books, "Shadows of Paris" and "Shadows Forever."

A review on Amazon.com states, “Each novel contains the author's personal experiences in public education.”