Published: November 23, 2009 11:21 pm      

Molesting suspects arrested

Both suspects facing A felony counts.

Two men are facing child molesting charges in unrelated cases.

On Friday, police served a warrant on 27-year-old Kevin Townsend of Monticello for his alleged role in the videotaping of sexual acts involving two teenage girls and 28-year-old Amy Nicole Spampinato of Logansport last year.

On Saturday night, a detective investigating the reported rape of an 11-year-old girl arrested 42-year-old Jesse Lee Rose of Logansport on charges of child molestation and neglect of a dependent.

After an investigation by Logansport police, the Cass County prosecutor’s office secured a bench warrant for Townsend, who now faces eight felony counts, including a class A felony charge of child molestation, a class B felony charge of sexual misconduct with a minor and a class D felony charge of possession of child pornography.

Police arrested Spampinato in March after an investigation into a videotape that reportedly showed her engaged in sexual acts with two girls, ages 13 and 14. Spampinato’s ex-boyfriend turned the tape over to police.

The sex scene reportedly took place in December while the girls were on Christmas break. Police say alcohol was involved.

Spampinato faces multiple felony counts, including two class A felonies that carry sentences of up to 50 years. While sitting in jail, she was also served with a felony arrest warrant accusing her of dealing in drugs.

After the rape report filed by the child’s mother Saturday evening, officers descended upon Rose’s residence, where they reportedly found five children without adult supervision. Police found Rose later in a Logansport motel room he had rented for the night. Police claim that he abandoned the children, who are now in the care of their mother.

A police report stated the victim told police the assaults had been going on about a week.

If convicted on all counts, Townsend could be sentenced to more than 150 years in prison, Spampinato more than 200 years and Rose more than 50.

Spampinato remains in the Cass County Jail. On Saturday, Townsend paid a bondsman $5,000 to get out of jail. As of Monday afternoon, Rose remained in jail on a bond of $10,000 cash/$50,000 surety.

• Kevin Lilly is news editor of the Pharos-Tribune. He can be reached at 574-732-5117 or kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com.