To the neighborhood kids, he was “Tio,” Uncle.
They appreciated the wads of cash he flashed around, the gifts, trips to sporting events, help for their families, and the work he provided around their quiet Salt Lake City neighborhood.
Their parents trusted him, too—they had no idea the dark secret their kids were carrying. That neighborhood house was where their boys were raped and kept quiet by fear.
They feared the shame if they reported being raped. Worse, they feared their families would be killed.
The kids, dozens of them, were also selling drugs—marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamines—in local grade schools and high schools. They feared being arrested as drug dealers if they reported “Uncle.” …