Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Accused of trying to kill adopted son, man in court

This is a follow up to a story I posted last week... on the CPS Worker

SALUDA --

A former Middlesex County social worker stepped into a Virginia courtroom today for the first time since being charged with attempted murder, arson and child molestation.

Before retiring from the Middlesex Department of Social Services last August, Arthur R. Bracke, 61, spent much of his career in child-custody court hearings. This time, he was in shackles, and a heavy armored vest bulged beneath his jail-issued suit.

A judge in Middlesex General District Court appointed West Point lawyer Joseph R. Caprio to defend the former child-protective-services investigator against charges that he tried to kill an adopted son by setting fire to the house they shared.

Those Nov. 17 charges preceded a local grand jury's decision last week to indict Bracke on 10 felony sex charges involving boys younger than 13.

The charges have ignited a swirl of Internet chat-room speculation against Bracke and bitter allegations against child-protective services in the United States. Middle Peninsula Security Center superintendent David Harmon cited the acrimony in his reasoning to outfit Bracke in the bulletproof vest.

Harmon told reporters after the court session that Bracke is in the jail's medical wing, removed from the general inmate population.

State police began investigating allegations of child abuse after the fire that destroyed Bracke's rented home. Authorities allege that Bracke set the fire on Nov. 17 while his adopted 19-year-old son, Josh Bracke, slept inside. The son, who was not harmed, told police that when he ran outside the house, he saw Arthur Bracke speed away.

Later that day, Arthur Bracke was arrested by Maryland State Police after a car crash in Harford County.

He served a 34-day sentence in a Maryland jail on a conviction of driving under the influence, Maryland trooper Jason Griffin said.

Additional charges of carrying a concealed weapon and failure to remain at the scene of an accident were not pursued. Bracke also received a suspended sentence for a related firearms charge.

Bracke is scheduled for arraignment in Middlesex Circuit Court on the sex charges Wednesday morning.

Those charges stem from acts state police allege Bracke committed last summer and fall.

Bracke is well-known in Middlesex, where he ran a home for troubled boys until financial issues closed the business in 1985. He also maintained a Web site, Art Bracke's Personal Pages, recounting his life as a German immigrant to the U.S. living in foster homes. Contact Lawrence Latané III at SALUDA -- Contact Lawrence Latané III at
llatane@timesdispatch.com.

Original Article -
Accused of trying to kill adopted son, man in court - News - inRich.com

6 comments:

Gail L. said...

There are a lot more of us out here.

mom.va@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Gail,if you had any false dealings with Arthur Bracke and his Department let officials know your story.Also post your story online. Maybe someone will step up and finally do there jobs, to correct a disruptive place at which the innocence of children and the innocence of families are being destryed.

Anonymous said...

go to www.middlesexcounty.blogspot.com
an activist Wes Fager has it all on Arthur Bracke and this county.
But still no one has come forth for that tv interview as well as produce Arthur Brackes licenses as claimed he did not have for Social Working,Middlesex County Virginia's networks.

Anonymous said...

Wes Fager, Activist of Middlesex County Virginia has passed away with cancer. He ran the middlesexcounty.blogspot.com site of the many corruptions in Middlesex County Virginia. Wes, my prayers go out to you and your family. God has blessed us all for your heroism and fighting corrupt systems that harm the innocence of children and innocent families. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You my friend are a true HERO.May you rest in peace. You will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you.
Nancy Dominiak

Anonymous said...

Wes Fager, Activist of Middlesex County Virginia has passed away with cancer. He ran the middlesexcounty.blogspot.com site of the many corruptions in Middlesex County Virginia. Wes, my prayers go out to you and your family. God has blessed us all for your heroism and fighting corrupt systems that harm the innocence of children and innocent families. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You my friend are a true HERO.May you rest in peace. You will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you.
Nancy Dominiak

Anonymous said...

A True Hero
Wesley Fager has passed away on Friday February 13,2009. He was a true hero ,a dedicated man who exposed corruptions of institutional systems who abuse children. He had many degrees and was an investigative reporter. He is the editor of the Straights.com. His last blogspot is middlesexcounty.blogspot.com in Virginia.
Wesley Fager recieved numerous awards in St. Petersburg, Florida he won in 2002 The Richard Bradbury Award for Heroism. He is a true HERO in every sense of the word. He also recieved many awards in other states. Wesley Fager will be remembered in the hearts of so many lives that he touched and missed by many, who were fortunate to meet him. Thank You my friend. Nancy Dominiak