December 29, 2015

Watford City man charged with sex abuse of child

By Amy Robinson
Farmer Staff Writer

On Monday, Dec. 21, at approximately 5:30 a.m., a joint law enforcement operation led to the arrest of a Watford City man being investigated for sexual abuse of a child.
The McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office - Investigations Division with the assistance of the Watford City Police Department, the Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Northwest Narcotics Task Force agents, and the North Dakota Highway Patrol conducted a joint operation leading to the arrest of Lance Foreman, 60, for two counts of AA-Felony Continuous Sexual
Abuse of a Minor.
According to court documents, Foreman engaged in three or more sexual acts/contacts with a minor female (identified as Jane Doe #1), while she was under the age of 15, and he was over the age of 22, from a time period starting in 2004 until 2013.
Court documents also state that Foreman engaged in three or more sexual acts/contacts with another minor female (identified as Jane Doe #2), while she was under 15, and he was over 22, and the acts occurred over a period longer than three months.
According to the Court Affidavit, McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office Det. Michael Mees was contacted on Dec. 10, 2015, by the McKenzie County Social Services Department regarding a female juvenile identified as Jane Doe #1, who was reporting continuously having sexual contact with Foreman from age five until age 14, occurring at multiple locations within McKenzie County.
Mees interviewed Jane Doe #1 on Dec. 18, at the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office with her parent’s permission, in an interview room. Mees stated that he established credibility and no reason to be deceitful from Jane Doe #1 during the interview.
Jane Doe #1 indicated in the interview that Foreman had coerced her through intimidation and threats of getting into trouble if she notified anyone of his actions. Jane Doe #1 indicated that Foreman had begun to have sexual contact with her while she was five years old at an address within the city limits of Watford City.
According to Jane Doe #1, the sexual acts continued weekly to every two weeks from age five until she was 14. She indicated that the acts occurred away from people, especially when he would babysit her, or when any adults or children were not present. According to the court documents, the sexual acts would take place at Jane Doe #1’s residence, Foreman’s residence, a pole barn, garage, garage attic, tree rows, an open field with a lower elevated area out of sight, and at a residence within the Watford City residential city limits.
Jane Doe #1 also indicated to Mees that there were occurrences on a family vacation in Oregon in approximately 2009, where Foreman had Jane Doe #1 in a hotel room and he had sexual contact with her at that point. The acts stopped, according to the girl, in 2013 when there was a death in the family and Foreman became depressed and would no longer come around Jane Doe #1 or the family.
It was also indicated by Jane Doe #1 that Foreman would say that she was beautiful and that he loved her. Foreman would say that he was curious and wanted to prepare Jane Doe #1 for a boyfriend. Jane Doe #1 also indicated that another juvenile female, identified as Jane Doe #2, had presented allegations of having sexual contact with Foreman during her interview.
Foreman was arrested on Monday, Dec. 21, and had his bond hearing later that afternoon. Bond was set at $500,000 cash or corporate surety. A Preliminary Hearing and/or Arraignment has been scheduled for Feb. 18, 2016, at 8:30 a.m., with Judge El-Dweek presiding.
According to the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation is being continued for further victims. The Sheriff’s Office is encouraging anyone who has been or who knows of someone else who has been a victim to contact the McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office - Investigations Division, attention Det. Michael Mees at 701-444-3654.
The operation was supported by the McKenzie County State’s Attorney’s Office, the North Dakota State and Local Intelligence Center, and the McKenzie County Social Services Department.
 

WATFORD CITY WEATHER