A convicted sex offender who had previously raped an 11-year-old girl and was found guilty in several harassment and indecent assault cases was released to a hostel, Israeli media reported Sunday night on Channel 13. Just one day after leaving prison and moving to the hostel, he allegedly committed an indecent act against a woman.
In a separate development, four family members from central Israel were arrested on suspicion of offenses against a minor. They were brought to the Petah Tikva Magistrate's Court for a remand hearing, where one was released, one woman's detention was extended until Monday, and two others were ordered to house arrest.
The arrests stemmed from the investigation of one suspect in a newly exposed pedophile network case. The charges under review include indecent act by a guardian, abuse of a helpless person, and creating and distributing obscene material by a guardian.
The case is being handled by investigators from Unit 105 of Lahav 433. Police say the network is believed to include parents, grandparents, and other officials who allegedly sexually abused their children, recorded the abuse, and circulated the material in a closed group.
After the case was exposed, the Knesset Committee on the Rights of the Child held a hearing. Police representative Shelly Harush said the cases remain open because they involve abuse within the family, adding that experienced investigators are working on them. She said the investigation began after a vigilant citizen reported seeing the group’s publications online to the 105 hotline. So far, nine arrests have been made and two indictments filed.
