Molestation case witness: Yoder forced boy to share bed

A co-defendant in a local child pornography case took the witness stand on Friday, testifying that the accused child molester John David Yoder required a 13-year-old special needs boy to share a bed with him, despite nightly arguments, tantrums and even attempts to run away.

Erick Monsivais, of Los Angeles, said he spent the night on Yoder’s couch about five to seven times. During each of these evenings, Yoder slept in a locked bedroom with a young boy.

“It looked mandatory,” Monsivais said. “Because there was an argument about it every night.”

Monsivais and Yoder are suspects in a child pornography ring that targeted numerous preteen boys in Desert Hot Springs. In December, Monsivais agreed to testify against Yoder in return for a plea deal with a 45-year sentence. He testified for the first time on Friday, offering an insider's view of the porn ring, speaking in a slow, shaky voice as he admitted to pedophilia and molestation. At one point, prosecutors presented a photograph of one of the porn ring victims. Monsvais began to sob.

“Why are you crying?” asked Assistant District Attorney William Robinson.

“Because of everything they had to go through,” Monsivais said.

Previous coverage: They stumbled upon a child porn ring, and then did nothing

The other suspects in the child porn case are William Clyde Thompson, a photographer who allegedly led the ring, and Noland Harper, who has already confessed in federal court. The four men are accused of molesting and photographing kids by posing as a modeling agency. Yoder, a foster parent, allegedly used the boys in his care to introduce the suspects to other neighborhood children, mostly at the Tedasco Skate Park.

Defense attorneys have argued that Yoder was a patsy, who did not realize the other men were molesting children and making pornography. However, on Friday, Monsivais testified that he once saw a picture of a boy posing in his underwear – a picture that had been taken by Thompson – on Yoder’s computer.

Monsivais also testified that that Yoder encouraged him to spend the night at his house with a young boy. Yoder described his house as a “safe place” where no one would “tell on him.”

“He told me that when I was at the house, I was more than welcome to stay at his place, and that it was a safe place,” Monsivais said. “He said I could be myself with (a boy) there.”

This testimony ended a particularly damaging week for Yoder’s defense. On Tuesday, Yoder’s alleged victim – the special needs child who lived with him – testified he had been molested. The boy had previously denied any sexual abuse took place, but reversed his story on the stand.

Monsivais said that he was first introduced to the porn ring suspects after he met Thompson, the alleged ringleader, through an online message board in 2013. Thompson was selling photos of young boys posing in underwear or speedos, and Monsivais found himself attracted to children for the first time. He began buying photos from Thomspon, and Thompson eventually invited Monsivais to meet him.

“He said he had a friend in a town outside of L.A.,” Monsivais said. “I didn’t know about Desert Hot Springs back then.”

In Desert Hot Springs, Thompson took Monsivais to Tedesco Skate Park, where he first met Yoder. Yoder greeted them, then pointed to a child who was nearby. It was the same boy that Yoder shared a bed with.

“That one over there is my boy,” Yoder said, according to Monsivais’ testimony. “Isn’t he gorgeous?”

Reporter Brett Kelman can be reached at (760) 778 -4642 or at brett.kelman@desertsun.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @TDSbrettkelman.