Police say man raped boys as video camera rolled
UPS pilot from Washington state arrested in Atlanta
By STACEY MULICK and ADAM LYNN
The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)
Published on: 11/02/07
Authorities believe a Washington state pilot sexually assaulted at least 20 boys in his home over a six-year period and videotaped much of the alleged abuse.
On Thursday, police and FBI agents in Atlanta arrested Weldon Marc Gilbert of Lake Tapps, Wash., on a warrant charging him with nine sex crimes.
WXIA-TV
Weldon Marc Gilbert was in jail in Atlanta on Friday night, awaiting extradition to Washington state.
The charges against the 47-year-old United Parcel Service pilot include child rape, child molestation and sexual exploitation of a minor.
Prosecutors contend in charging documents that Gilbert sexually abused two brothers between March 2001 and October of this year.
Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said more charges are likely. Detectives are reviewing more than 100 videotapes and DVDs found in Gilbert's home, many of which contain "very disturbing graphic images," Troyer said Friday.
"We just started looking through the tapes, and we've already seen 20 different victims," the spokesman said. "Kids are crying out for help and in pain in some of the videos."
A spokesman for UPS Airlines, Mike Mangeot, described the criminal case as an "unfortunate situation," but declined to discuss details, saying it was an ongoing investigation that had nothing to do with UPS.
"From what we can tell, this is completely unrelated to UPS," spokesman Mike Mangeot said. "It's not a company matter. It's a personal matter." Mangeot would not say how long Gilbert has been employed as a UPS pilot.
Investigators believe Gilbert may have used a helicopter to give rides to some of the boys, who range in age from 12 to 17, Troyer said.
He'd then take them to his house, get them drunk, tie them down, beat them and perform sexual acts on them, all with a video recorder rolling, Troyer said.
Investigators turned their attention to Gilbert on Tuesday when two men reported that they suspected their younger brothers were being molested by Gilbert.
One of the alleged victims, who is now 18, told detectives the molestation began 2001, shortly after his father died, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in the case.
The teenager provided detectives with a videotape this week that also shows Gilbert abusing the alleged victim's brother, who turns 13 on Sunday, the affidavit states.
Detectives served a search warrant Wednesday at Gilbert's home on Tapps Island.
They seized videotapes, DVDs, CDs, floppy discs, assorted sex toys, camera gear, a computer and two handguns, according to court documents.
Authorities tracked Gilbert to Atlanta after learning that he had job-related training there. He was in jail in Atlanta on Friday night, awaiting extradition to Pierce County for arraignment, Troyer said
UPS pilot from Washington state arrested in Atlanta
By STACEY MULICK and ADAM LYNN
The News Tribune (Tacoma, Wash.)
Published on: 11/02/07
Authorities believe a Washington state pilot sexually assaulted at least 20 boys in his home over a six-year period and videotaped much of the alleged abuse.
On Thursday, police and FBI agents in Atlanta arrested Weldon Marc Gilbert of Lake Tapps, Wash., on a warrant charging him with nine sex crimes.
WXIA-TV
Weldon Marc Gilbert was in jail in Atlanta on Friday night, awaiting extradition to Washington state.
The charges against the 47-year-old United Parcel Service pilot include child rape, child molestation and sexual exploitation of a minor.
Prosecutors contend in charging documents that Gilbert sexually abused two brothers between March 2001 and October of this year.
Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer said more charges are likely. Detectives are reviewing more than 100 videotapes and DVDs found in Gilbert's home, many of which contain "very disturbing graphic images," Troyer said Friday.
"We just started looking through the tapes, and we've already seen 20 different victims," the spokesman said. "Kids are crying out for help and in pain in some of the videos."
A spokesman for UPS Airlines, Mike Mangeot, described the criminal case as an "unfortunate situation," but declined to discuss details, saying it was an ongoing investigation that had nothing to do with UPS.
"From what we can tell, this is completely unrelated to UPS," spokesman Mike Mangeot said. "It's not a company matter. It's a personal matter." Mangeot would not say how long Gilbert has been employed as a UPS pilot.
Investigators believe Gilbert may have used a helicopter to give rides to some of the boys, who range in age from 12 to 17, Troyer said.
He'd then take them to his house, get them drunk, tie them down, beat them and perform sexual acts on them, all with a video recorder rolling, Troyer said.
Investigators turned their attention to Gilbert on Tuesday when two men reported that they suspected their younger brothers were being molested by Gilbert.
One of the alleged victims, who is now 18, told detectives the molestation began 2001, shortly after his father died, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in the case.
The teenager provided detectives with a videotape this week that also shows Gilbert abusing the alleged victim's brother, who turns 13 on Sunday, the affidavit states.
Detectives served a search warrant Wednesday at Gilbert's home on Tapps Island.
They seized videotapes, DVDs, CDs, floppy discs, assorted sex toys, camera gear, a computer and two handguns, according to court documents.
Authorities tracked Gilbert to Atlanta after learning that he had job-related training there. He was in jail in Atlanta on Friday night, awaiting extradition to Pierce County for arraignment, Troyer said