RED HILL — During what prosecutors described as “monstrous” acts, a Schwenksville area man allegedly drugged and sexually assaulted four little girls and videotaped the acts which he called “sleep assaults” to share with others on the Internet.
“This is one of the most disgusting, most egregious cases of sexual crimes that I have ever prosecuted,” said veteran Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Samantha Cauffman, who leads the district attorney’s sex crimes unit.
“It’s bad enough to sexually abuse a child. But to incapacitate them to enable the abuse and then to brag about it and send pictures of it across the Internet, those are monstrous actions. They’re hard to comprehend.”
“This is one of the most disgusting, most egregious cases of sexual crimes that I have ever prosecuted,” said veteran Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Samantha Cauffman, who leads the district attorney’s sex crimes unit.
“It’s bad enough to sexually abuse a child. But to incapacitate them to enable the abuse and then to brag about it and send pictures of it across the Internet, those are monstrous actions. They’re hard to comprehend.”
Barry McOwen, 66, of the 700 block of Clemmers Mill Road, waived his preliminary hearing before District Court Judge Catherine Hummel-Fried on multiple counts of rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, sexual abuse of children, invasion of privacy, corruption of minors and drug violations in connection with alleged incidents that occurred with four girls under the age of 10 while the girls were in his company at various times and locations in the county between 2006 and 2011.
McOwen, according to a criminal complaint, bragged to others in Internet chats that he plied the girls with the allergy medication Benadryl or “a half roofie,” which he referred to as “my special juice,” before sexually assaulting the girls while they were asleep or passed out.
When county detectives reviewed McOwen’s computer equipment and cell phone, they discovered more than 4,000 images and videos of child pornography, including more than 100 sexually explicit photographs of the victims and the alleged sex assaults. Detectives also seized a 9-minute video of one of the assaults, made by McOwen with his cell phone, during which the little girl did not awaken and “appeared to be unconscious,” according to arrest documents.
“McOwen said he visited chat rooms on the Internet where he chatted about his fantasy of having sex with young girls,” county Detective Mary Anders alleged in the arrest affidavit.
McOwen’s computer allegedly revealed more than 200 Internet chats between McOwen and other individuals.
“In these chats, McOwen indicated his wishes to abduct, rape and sexually assault young girls. McOwen stated numerous times how he ‘sleep assaults’ his victims,” Anders alleged in the arrest affidavit.
In the chats, McOwen indicated Benadryl made one of the girls fall into a deep sleep so he could assault her, court papers indicate.
“…it was the most erotic night I ever had and I no longer want any older woman,” McOwen allegedly wrote in one February 2009 chat uncovered by detectives.
“I’m so obsessed and I want even to grab one at the playground…,” McOwen wrote in a June 6, 2009, chat, according to the arrest affidavit.
In other chats, McOwen allegedly stated, “I loved it and love being a pedo (sic) so much,” and “I want to rape any pre-teen so bad.”
When detectives searched McOwen’s residence they located several bottles of allergy medicine and prescription drugs Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, court papers indicate.
Detectives were able to identify the victims through clothing they were depicted as wearing in some of the photographs seized from McOwen and identifications made by the girls’ parents, court papers indicate.
While some of the girls told authorities they recalled being photographed by McOwen in their underwear, court papers indicate the girls were drugged, asleep or unconscious during the assaults.
County detectives were alerted to McOwen’s alleged activities in June by Washington state authorities, who uncovered that a suspect there had been trading child porn with McOwen, according to court papers.
The investigation uncovered other clues that led authorities to McOwen.
When he was confronted with the allegations, McOwen allegedly admitted to taking pornographic images of four girls and to the sexual assaults, court papers indicate.
“McOwen admitted that he shared these photographs with…other like minded individuals on the Internet,” Anders alleged, adding McOwen claimed to download, upload and trade child porn for the last five years.
McOwen remains in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility without bail while awaiting his next hearing, an arraignment later this year in county court.
Defense lawyer Timothy Woodward, who represents McOwen, declined to comment about the case.
McOwen, according to a criminal complaint, bragged to others in Internet chats that he plied the girls with the allergy medication Benadryl or “a half roofie,” which he referred to as “my special juice,” before sexually assaulting the girls while they were asleep or passed out.
When county detectives reviewed McOwen’s computer equipment and cell phone, they discovered more than 4,000 images and videos of child pornography, including more than 100 sexually explicit photographs of the victims and the alleged sex assaults. Detectives also seized a 9-minute video of one of the assaults, made by McOwen with his cell phone, during which the little girl did not awaken and “appeared to be unconscious,” according to arrest documents.
“McOwen said he visited chat rooms on the Internet where he chatted about his fantasy of having sex with young girls,” county Detective Mary Anders alleged in the arrest affidavit.
McOwen’s computer allegedly revealed more than 200 Internet chats between McOwen and other individuals.
“In these chats, McOwen indicated his wishes to abduct, rape and sexually assault young girls. McOwen stated numerous times how he ‘sleep assaults’ his victims,” Anders alleged in the arrest affidavit.
In the chats, McOwen indicated Benadryl made one of the girls fall into a deep sleep so he could assault her, court papers indicate.
“…it was the most erotic night I ever had and I no longer want any older woman,” McOwen allegedly wrote in one February 2009 chat uncovered by detectives.
“I’m so obsessed and I want even to grab one at the playground…,” McOwen wrote in a June 6, 2009, chat, according to the arrest affidavit.
In other chats, McOwen allegedly stated, “I loved it and love being a pedo (sic) so much,” and “I want to rape any pre-teen so bad.”
When detectives searched McOwen’s residence they located several bottles of allergy medicine and prescription drugs Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, court papers indicate.
Detectives were able to identify the victims through clothing they were depicted as wearing in some of the photographs seized from McOwen and identifications made by the girls’ parents, court papers indicate.
While some of the girls told authorities they recalled being photographed by McOwen in their underwear, court papers indicate the girls were drugged, asleep or unconscious during the assaults.
County detectives were alerted to McOwen’s alleged activities in June by Washington state authorities, who uncovered that a suspect there had been trading child porn with McOwen, according to court papers.
The investigation uncovered other clues that led authorities to McOwen.
When he was confronted with the allegations, McOwen allegedly admitted to taking pornographic images of four girls and to the sexual assaults, court papers indicate.
“McOwen admitted that he shared these photographs with…other like minded individuals on the Internet,” Anders alleged, adding McOwen claimed to download, upload and trade child porn for the last five years.
McOwen remains in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility without bail while awaiting his next hearing, an arraignment later this year in county court.
Defense lawyer Timothy Woodward, who represents McOwen, declined to comment about the case.
