BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Hours after police told a top-ranking local Border Patrol official he was under investigation for raping a 14-year-old girl, he went back and had sex with her again, prosecutors alleged Thursday in court.
The official, Joseph Giuliano, who was the No. 2 man in the local Border Patrol until this week, now is in jail, charged with three counts of third-degree child rape.
Police say Giuliano, 55, admits he had sex at least 24 times with the 14-year-old high school girl, who was a friend of the family.
Mac Setter, chief deputy prosecutor for Whatcom County, alleged in court Thursday that Giuliano had sex with her for the last time on Monday night, after police had already visited the girl's high school and had told Giuliano that he was under investigation, at which time he denied anything was happening. Setter says later, the girl told police they had sex later that same night.
For this reason, prosecutors asked for an unusual $50,000 cash-only bail at Thursday's court hearing.
"The reaction is total disgust," said Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo. "This is totally reprehensible that a high-ranking law enforcement official in a position of trust would exploit a child in this manner."
Giuliano was arrested early this morning at his home. Six hours later he was in court listening to a prosecutor reading charges.
The story became public Monday, when the victim told friends at her high school she was having sex with "Papa Joe." Investigators then received an anonymous tip.
The victim later told detectives she had, in fact, been involved with Giuliano. She said they arranged meeting times by communicating through text messages. The two met in his car, in her bed and at his house, she said.
When questioned by detectives, Giuliano admitted to having had sexual intercourse with the victim on at least 24 different occasions, according to the statement of probable cause. He said their relationship began in April 2008 and continued until recently.
At times, he told the girl it was wrong and feared he would get caught, the statement said.
The victim is not related to Giuliano, who is married. Giuliano's wife was not aware of the alleged abuse, according to Whatcom County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Mac Setter.
Giuliano had been a Border Patrol agent for more than 20 years and as deputy chief has overseen operations in Western Washington, Oregon and Alaska.
Giuliano did not comment Wednesday. His only comment Thursday was he couldn't afford the $50,000 cash-only bail.
BTW -- if dude was a border patrol guy in Oregon, he sure did a piss-poor job... there's californians running around here with impunity.
