An anonymous tip led to a multi-week investigation by Murfreesboro Police that ended with two men being arrested for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old boy.
On Thursday, April 7, two former Center for the Arts employees – Jared Scott, 36, and Justin Mangrum, 22, both of Huntington Drive – were arrested for allegedly having sex with a 13-year-old male while he was performing at the arts center.
Scott and Mangrum were both employees at the time, but they are no longer employed there, Center for the Arts Director Tony Cimino said. Neither have been employed at the nonprofit arts center since last year, but Mangrum did direct the musical Hairspray in January and February.
"We are a family friendly environment. We try to run a safe environment," Cimino said. "If this is true, it is deplorable."
The pair allegedly performed oral sex on the victim and had the victim perform oral sex on them, the arrest report said.
MPD spokesman Kyle Evans said the victim claimed to have consented to the oral sex.
"And if you are over 13 that makes it statutory rape," Evans said.
While an anonymous tip led to the investigation of Scott and Mangrum, most leads come from the Department of Children's Services.
Usually the children disclose the information to someone and a DCS investigation is started and a refferal is made to MPD," Evans said.
DCS then helps MPD by setting up forensic interviews with victims and helps whenever necessary, Evans said.
"They are very helpful and do a great job," he added.
But DCS isn't the only department doing a great job.
MPD has arrested "several hundred (perpetrators) over the past several years," police department spokesman Kyle Evans said.
"We have a very aggressive CID (criminal investigation division) sexual assault detectives that work hard to catch those who would commit these type of crimes and bring them to justice," Evans said.
In just the past two weeks they closed five cases with arrests, including one involving former employees at the Center for The Arts.
Several cases have involved younger suspects, Mangrum is only 22 and MTSU student Brandon R. Ray, who was arrested last week for sexual battery of an 8-year-old child, is only 19.
"One possible explanation is the Internet and the use of technology such as cell phones make it easier to seek out victims," Evans said about the age of the suspects. The new technology tends to lean itself toward younger age groups (both suspects and victims)."
Evans said parents can help their children avoid dangerous situations by monitoring their use of technology.
"In some cases, parents don't check their child's internet use, cell phone messaging or know who their child's friends are …" Evans said. "Parents must take an active role in their children's lives."
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