As many as 20 more suspects could be wanted in Bibb County child sex abuse ring

CENTREVILLE, Ala. (WBRC) - New information was discussed in a Bibb County courtroom on Friday, Aug. 15, in relation to an alleged child sex abuse ring in Bibb County.

WBRC learned in court on Friday there could be as many as 20 more suspects in the investigation.

A Bibb County judge also decided several of the current suspects will remain in jail without bond.

Rebecca Brewer, Olivia Elam, Timothy St John, Sara Terrell, and Rickey Terrell were all denied bond during an Aniah’s Law hearing.

Detective Justin Hobbs with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office described in detail some of the alleged abuse that took place, some of it hard to listen to at times.

Detective Hobbs said the children have been moved into a different county because the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) fears for their safety.

Hobbs said some of the suspects admitted to drugging the children with liquid ecstasy and GHB, sometimes putting it into bottles to give them so that they would be unconscious during the alleged abuse. Those children ranged in age from 2-15. He also says his investigation has revealed that at least 15-20 additional people paid to enter the storm shelter to have sex with the children.

The investigation began when two of the children, who were in foster care, began touching themselves inappropriately. When a foster parent asked them where they had learned the behavior, the children told them that they had learned from one of the suspects in “the secret bunker.”

As the investigation continued, more child victims were found, who described being molested, sexually assaulted and physically abused by one or more of the suspects.

According to Hobbs, one victim described to investigators being raped by Trejo-Velasquez while her mother recorded video of the assault.

“One day I’ll see her, and I’ll ask her why she did these things to me,” Hobbs quoted the victim’s statement during his testimony, “then I’ll leave.”

Hobbs says one of the suspects in an investigative interview told him that at one point during an assault, a child bit down on the genitals of Dalton Terrell to the point it drew blood, and that Terrell along with Sara Terrell and Rickey Terrell began to beat the child, hitting and kicking them.

Hobbs said that the main purpose of the alleged acts was for financial gain, though investigators say they still do not who the money was paid to, or where it went.

Hobbs says he has made two visits to the storm shelter, often referred to as a “bunker” in victim statements, and that during the second visit, noted that he smelled a strong bleach smell and pooled water on the concrete floor, and that the bed previously inside had been removed, leading him to believe it had been cleaned in an attempt to destroy evidence.

Hobbs also said that mandatory reporters at the schools the children attended reported the children to DHR.

During the hearing, Trejo-Velasquez could be seen smiling and laughing at points during the investigator testimony. Trejo-Velasquez also burped at one point and at another, threw his head back and sighed.

In their response, defense attorneys pointed out that investigators at this time do not have any video of the alleged abuse, and in some of the suspects’ cases, there is no physical evidence, though investigators say there are still some items that are being DNA tested.

Trejo-Velasquez responded with, “Too many holes in the story.”

The other suspects - Andres Trejo-Velazquez, Dalton Terrell, and Chase McElroy - have already been denied bond under Aniah’s Law. Seven of the eight have pleaded not guilty.

Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here.