A Watertown couple, one of them a soldier, are accused of raping children and making child pornography of the abuse.
State Police announced the arrests of 26 year old Amanda Jansen, a Fort Drum soldier, and her husband, 27 year old Christopher Jansen. They live at 435 S. Hycliff Drive, which is a military housing complex in Watertown.
State Police were alerted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that there might be child pornography at the Jansen address, said BCI Captain Mark Lincoln.
That led to a search warrant, the discovery of child porn on the couple's computer, and interviews with the couple revealing that four children had been abused, Lincoln said.
The Jansens are charged with:
- Rape 1st degree
- Possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child
- Predatory sexual assault on a child
- Criminal sexual act
- Endangering the welfare of a child.
Both are in Jefferson County jail without bail.
The couple arrived in Watertown early this year, police said. They met and lived in Texas and Mr. Jansen also lived in Kentucky.
State Police are consulting with authorities in those states about whether further abuse may have happened there.
The children allegedly abused by the Jansens are three girls and a boy, ages 16 months, 5 years, 8 years and 13 years, police said.
The Jansens themselves have children, Capt. Lincoln said, emphasizing police policy of not identifying rape victims.
The case represents successful cooperation between the Center for Exploited children and local authorities, Lincoln said.
"Child pornographers identified, and it led to live children close by that had been abused," he said.
A neighbor of the Jansens on S. Hycliff Drive said she was shocked to learn about the arrests Thursday evening.
She'd run into the Jansens on occasion and thought them as normal as anyone else.
"I have children here myself. I'm just shocked and appalled," she said.
Capt. Lincoln said all children involved are now safe. They are now either out of state or being looked after by county Child Protective Services, he said.
Mrs. Jansen is assigned to the 710th BSB at Fort Drum, police said. Mr. Jansen works in a computer-related business.
Capt. Lincoln wouldn't comment on whether child pornography was distributed from the Jansen home.
