Police: Ventura Couple Regularly Got Former Roommate Drunk, Raped Her
VENTURA (CBSLA.com) — A couple faces a variety of sex-crimes charges after their former roommate told police they regularly got her drunk and sexually assaulted her when she passed out.
Brandon Vanwie, 24, and Madeline Carden, 20, both of Ventura, were arrested Tuesday after the couple's former roommate told police she had been raped and mistreated on a regular basis while living with the couple, Ventura police Cpl. D. Ruggiero said.
Police say the woman went to police May 29 after moving out of the North Laurel Street apartment she shared with Vanwie and Carden, and described being raped while intoxicated and another occasion during which she was bound and sodomized. The woman, who had apparently been friends with Carden before moving in with them, also told police the couple treated her as their child, controlling her money, important documents and the people she spoke to.
Ventura police major crimes detectives served a search warrant at the couple's home and found evidence that Vanwie and Carden conspired to get the victim intoxicated and rape her, along with several images of child pornography that they had sent to each other electronically, Ruggiero said.
Detectives also found several photographs of a girl between 12 and 13 years old as she walked to school that were determined to be photos taken by Vanwie of a junior high student that he had "an unnatural sexual fascination" with, Ruggiero said. Detectives also found evidence that Carden shared the same interest in the child, and she was involved in conspiring to photograph her, he said.
Police say they identified the girl and have contacted her family.
According to police, Vanwie and Carden told detectives they regularly fantasized sex acts with underage girls. Detectives found evidence that Vanwie and Carden discussed ways to lure girls to their home for the purpose of sexual acts, police said.
Vanwie and Carden both face charges of conspiracy, rape, sodomy, child annoyance and child pornography. They are each being held on $200,000 bail and are scheduled to appear in court Thursday.