Bond reinstated for car dealer accused of raping teen girl at his Crosby dealership

Car dealer Riku 'The Finnisher' Melartin Thursday faced a judge, who reinstated Melartin's bond on rape charges.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- We have an update in the rape case against local car dealer Riku Melartin.

A judge Thursday reinstated the $100,000 bond for Melartin. His attorney says the bond was revoked last week because of a paperwork issue.

Melartin is accused of raping a girl at his dealership in Crosby. The girl and her mother worked for Melartin, and say they want justice, while Melartin's attorney says his client is ready to go home.

"It's been hard. It was hard to see him come out, but I'm confident that we will get justice. I'm confident in that," said the mother of the alleged victim.

Melartin's attorney, Jim Butler, said, "Happy that he gets to go back home. All the other emotions from one end of the spectrum to the other are still there."

Melartin and his assistant, George Koutani, are both also accused of fondling the 16-year-old at Melartin's dealership.
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CSI investigator takes stand in trial of ex-HPD officer accused of raping woman

  Pooja LodhiaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- The prosecution is continuing to build its case against a former Houston police officer accused of raping a woman two years ago. On Thursday they showed surveillance video taken before the alleged assault.

Surveillance video shows former HPD Officer Abraham Joseph driving up to a gas station and releasing a man into the parking lot. Prosecutors allege Joseph picked up a woman and a man, then dropped off the man and raped the woman at a nearby park. A crime investigator on Thursday confirmed records showing that Joseph never told dispatch he picked up anybody. The witness says male police officers are always asked to call in when they're alone with women. He said, "Officers typically call a female officer to do a search... You want it to be known that there is a female in your backseat." The witness also confirmed the police uniform, handcuffs and gun that Joseph had on the day he's accused of raping the woman. "They want to remind the jury that he was in uniform at the time, not like he is today. Today he's in street clothes, he's in a suit, he looks like any guy that would take your daughter on a date," said KTRK legal analyst Joel Androphy. He says prosecutors want to remind jurors that Joseph was in a position of authority during the alleged assault. "This was a guy in uniform, wearing a badge, driving a police car and they really want to drive home that he used his authority to abuse her," Androphy said. When we asked defense attorney Nicole DeBorde if she thought her client is being held to a different standard because he's a police officer, she replied, "I have a lot of confidence in this jury. They're smart, they're taking notes, and they know that the law is that he should be held to the same standard under the law as is anybody else." The defense claims the sex was consensual. Prosecutors are still expected to call forward several witnesses. Attorneys say it could be a week or longer before this case is sent to a jury. (Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Security guard accused of raping woman at bus terminal

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- There are shocking allegations of a sexual assault at one of the city's busiest bus stations. A security guard who was in charge of keeping the peace is now accused of rape.

The pregnant bus passenger says she was raped in a back office. The attack took place inside a security office at the Greyhound bus station. Tyler Duhon claims the sex was consensual, but according to court documents, the injuries that the victim sustained to her private parts were not consistent with consensual sex.

"I was on my way to work this morning when I saw him get arrested," Barbara Brown said.

Brown is talking about her neighbor, Tyler Duhon, a commissioned security guard. The 29-year-old security officer is accused of raping a pregnant woman inside the security office at the Greyhound station where he worked. The unidentified woman was about to board a bus to Dallas in April when she got caught with a small amount of marijuana while passing through security and was turned over to Duhon.

According to court documents the woman begged the defendant to let her go, citing she was four months pregnant and had a young child at home. She told him she would do anything if he let her go.

Donna Hawkins with the Harris County District Attorney's Office said, "The defendant indicated he needed to do a strip search of her to look for more drugs, but he did in fact sexually assault her while they were alone."

This allegedly happened in a private security room. Prosecutors say the victim pleaded with Duhon not to touch her. His response, according to court documents, was, "Remember, I did you a favor, now you have to do me a favor. ... At least you can't get pregnant."

Prosecutors say afterwards Duhon let the woman go.

The woman who answered the door at the apartment where Duhon was arrested wouldn't identify herself.

The security company conducted its own investigation and fired him. The issued the following statement to Eyewitness News: "Top Gun Security Services on April 30 initiated an internal investigation upon first learning of the allegations against Tyler Duhon. Following our investigation, Mr. Duhon"s employment was immediately terminated.

Top Gun maintains the highest professional and ethical standards. We have a zero tolerance for any improper employee behavior. It is our strict policy to conduct criminal background checks on all new officers when they are hired. Mr. Duhon's background check came back clean at the time -- he had no prior criminal record. He was given and passed a drug test. And he passed a Texas and FBI background check before they issued him an armed security license.

We will have no further comment to make about the matter which is under criminal investigation by local law enforcement. Top Gun is fully cooperating with the investigation."
Management, Top Gun Security Services

Duhon is charged with sexual assault. He no longer works for 'Top Gun' security. Bail has been set at $30,000.

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Twin brothers accused of raping underage girl

Isaac Gates, left, and Isaiah Gates are charged with sexual assault of a child under 17. The 19-year-olds are accused in the November rape of a then 16-year-old girl in west Harris County

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Twin brothers are accused of raping an underage girl.

Isaac and Isaiah Gates, both 19, are charged with sexual assault of a child under 17. Court documents state the incident happened on November 28, 2011 when the 16-year-old victim said she went behind a business off Memorial in west Harris County after agreeing to have sex with the twins. She then changed her mind and told the Gates that she needed to go home. The twins refused to allow her to leave, according to the girl.

Court documents show that's when one brother started to sexually assault her while the other one stood lookout in the alley. The brothers then switched places and the other brother sexually assaulted her.

The attack stopped when a passerby saw what was happening and scared off the men. The girl says she then called her mother to tell her what happened.

Police say the girl picked the Gates brothers out of a photo array.

Isaiah Gates is out on $20,000 bond. Isaac Gates is not in custody.

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Telephone chat line worker accused of kidnapping, raping woman

Tyler George, 21, is facing charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault of an adult and theft.

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A man who worked for a telephone chat line is accused of kidnapping and raping a woman he met after she called into the service.

Tyler George is facing charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault of an adult and theft. Court documents state the female victim had just broken up with her boyfriend and was depressed. She says she was watching TV, saw a commercial for a chat line and called the phone number. The victim says she spoke to a man who said his name was 'Terrance' -- later identified as George, police say -- and made arrangements to meet the man in person at an apartment complex in north Houston on December 2 of last year.

According to court documents, the victim said she felt comfortable around George and spoke with him for a few minutes. She says she then told George she was going home and would call him later, then started walking to her car. That's when she says George came up behind her and put a gun to her head. The victim told investigators George made her get into her car, then drove to the back of the complex where he made her park the car. George then allegedly sexually assaulted the woman.

The victim told police that George made her drive to another location where he sexually assaulted her again.

Then George allegedly made the victim lay down in the back seat and threatened to shoot her. He got behind the wheel of the victim's car, drove the woman to a grassy area behind a different apartment complex and allegedly raped the woman there.

Court documents state that George then pushed the victim down a hill and kicked her into a bayou.

On December 11, George was arrested for driving the victim's car. The woman later picked George out of a photo array.

George, 21, has a prior conviction for deadly conduct in 2009.

No bond has been set in this case.

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