Stafford man facing many child sex charges
Stafford man facing many child sex charges
November 17, 2008
Mark D. Simpson
Journal Inquirer
STAFFORD — A local man is facing multiple charges for sexually related offenses after his West Stafford home was raided Friday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, state police said.
The man was also the subject of a subsequent state police investigation.
The man, Craig Niles, 59, of 172 West Stafford Road, was charged with crimes that include four counts of first-degree sexual assault, five counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, employing a minor in an obscene performance, promoting a minor in an obscene performance, 20 counts of risk of injury to a minor, and first-degree possession of child pornography, according to state police.
The local state police resident state trooper’s office assisted the FBI with executing of a raid Friday morning at Niles’ home, state police said.
The Associated Press reported that three children who were living at the home were taken into state custody.
The raid was related to a federal pornography investigation, according to state police.
State police major crimes detectives were assigned to respond to the home to initiate the state police criminal investigation, state police said.
Detectives uncovered evidence that led them to conduct several interviews of witnesses related to this investigation, according to state police.
Detectives identified a victim and determined that the victim had been sexually assaulted at the residence, state police said.
State police detectives obtained a warrant from Superior Court to conduct a search of the residence, according to state police.
After the search, state police detectives submitted an arrest warrant application on Saturday to Vernon Superior Court, state police said.
The warrant was issued at 12:24 p.m., and Niles was taken into custody without incident on Saturday, according to state police.
Niles, who is turning 60 Tuesday, was taken to the state police Troop C barracks in Tolland and held in lieu of a $500,000 bond, state police said. He was to have appeared today in Vernon Superior Court.
The investigation is continuing.