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In his testimony, Paul Skalnik accused James Dailey of hurting a young girl.
What Skalnik failed to mention was that he himself had been accused of sexually abusing at least two minors.
Who were they?
What Skalnik failed to mention was that he himself had been accused of sexually abusing at least two minors.
Who were they?
Karen Parker was 12 years old when she crossed paths with Skalnik in 1982.
“He appeared out of nowhere,” Parker said. “He befriended my mom and dad, and suddenly he was in our life.”
“He appeared out of nowhere,” Parker said. “He befriended my mom and dad, and suddenly he was in our life.”
One night, Skalnik summoned her to sit beside him in the front seat of his Cadillac after a fishing trip w/ the neighbors.
By then, the others had gone inside.
Suddenly he was kissing Parker, his hands slipping under her t-shirt.
By then, the others had gone inside.
Suddenly he was kissing Parker, his hands slipping under her t-shirt.
Parker says he took her hand and had her perform a sex act on him.
Skalnik was 32 years old.
Parker had just finished the seventh grade.
Skalnik was 32 years old.
Parker had just finished the seventh grade.
She says Skalnik told her to keep quiet about what happened:
“One of these days you’re going to open your mouth too many times,” he said.
“The only one who is going to be in trouble is you.”
“One of these days you’re going to open your mouth too many times,” he said.
“The only one who is going to be in trouble is you.”
The story eventually came out later that year, after Skalnik was arrested for grand theft. He was charged with “lewd and lascivious conduct on a child under 14,” a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
But, Skalnik would never even be tried...
But, Skalnik would never even be tried...
In a plea hearing, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the molestation charge.
In return, Skalnik pleaded guilty to several new charges of grand theft — which had much lighter punishments than sexual assault of a child.
In return, Skalnik pleaded guilty to several new charges of grand theft — which had much lighter punishments than sexual assault of a child.
In 1991, Skalnik married Misty Anderson’s mother.
Immediately, he began creating a rift between his new wife and her daughter.
At one point, Skalnik blamed his wife’s missing wedding ring on the 15-year-old girl.
“And he said I had taken it,” Anderson said. “He set me up.”
Immediately, he began creating a rift between his new wife and her daughter.
At one point, Skalnik blamed his wife’s missing wedding ring on the 15-year-old girl.
“And he said I had taken it,” Anderson said. “He set me up.”
As punishment, Skalnik grounded Anderson.
He insisted she adhere to a punishing regimen over summer vacation that included digging holes in the sun without water.
He insisted she adhere to a punishing regimen over summer vacation that included digging holes in the sun without water.
“I was not allowed to shower, not allowed to brush my teeth,” Anderson said. “I was only allowed to eat once a day. I would get so faint that I would see stars.”
When Skalnik allowed her to come inside, Anderson was forced to stay in her room.
After a month of isolation, when she was at her most vulnerable, Skalnik offered her a way out.
“He came in my bedroom and said, ‘I have an idea that's going to make things better between us.”
After a month of isolation, when she was at her most vulnerable, Skalnik offered her a way out.
“He came in my bedroom and said, ‘I have an idea that's going to make things better between us.”
Anderson didn’t speak a word about the sexual abuse that followed until late that summer. “I didn’t think anyone would believe me,” she explained.
When her mother learned, the spell Skalnik had cast over her was broken.
She called the police.
When her mother learned, the spell Skalnik had cast over her was broken.
She called the police.
Skalnik was arrested + charged with sexual assault of a child. b/c he wasn't prosecuted before, the courts saw Skalnik as a first-time sex offender.
With a prior conviction for sexual assault of a child, he would have been looking at 25 years to life. Instead, he faced two-20.
With a prior conviction for sexual assault of a child, he would have been looking at 25 years to life. Instead, he faced two-20.
Skalnik got 10 years — and in 2002, he walked out of prison.
But rather than register as a sex offender, as he was required to do by law, he simply disappeared.
But rather than register as a sex offender, as he was required to do by law, he simply disappeared.
When we asked, Skalnik’s response portrayed himself as the unfairly maligned hero of a story that featured a supporting cast of cunning and vindictive women who were after his riches.
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