Mesa Man and Woman Suspected Of Victimizing 13-year-old Girl
January 18, 2008
On
January 16, 2008 the Mesa Police Department responded to the
area of 1600 N. Fraser to investigate an alleged child
molestation involving a 13-year-old female victim.
A witness told police that her 13-year-old daughter had found
various pornographic photos depicting the witness’s fiancé,
later identified as 43-year-old William Riedel (seen in photo)
of Mesa, molesting a 13-year-old girl known to the witness’s
daughter.
Investigators obtained a search warrant to review the
photographic evidence on the hard drive of the computer.
Investigators discovered photos on the computer that did, in
fact, depict Riedel in the act of molesting the victim. Other
photos on the hard drive of the computer depicted the victim’s
55-year-old mother in the act of sexually abusing her own
daughter. The victim appeared to be incoherent or under the
influence of a drug or narcotic in the photographs.
Investigators believe that the crimes occurred from January to
March of 2006, which would have made the victim 11- or 12-
years-old at the time. Numerous other child pornography photos
were discovered on the computer hard drive in addition to those
already mentioned.
During post-Miranda interviews both suspects admitted to
molesting and sexually abusing the victim. The suspects
disclosed the fact that they used sleeping pills to drug the
victim prior to committing the crime. The victim’s mother
admitted to providing the sleeping pills to her daughter under
the false pretense that it was allergy medication.
Riedel was previously employed as the director of a family
counseling service. Investigators are concerned that there may
be other victims due to the fact that Riedel had contact with
other children. Alleged victims are asked to contact the Mesa
Police Department at 480-644-2211.
Riedel was booked on suspicion of Sexual Conduct with a Minor
and Molestation of a Child. The victim’s mother was booked on
suspicion of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Sexual Abuse and
Child Abuse. Riedel is being held at the Maricopa County Jail on
a no-bond status. The victim’s mother is being held on a
$108,000 dollar bond. The victim is currently in CPS custody.