Another boy allegedly abused in Sammamish

Seattle Times/September 6, 2006
By Anne Kim

Two men previously charged with child rape and child molestation at a Sammamish "religious home" face new charges in connection with a second boy who has come forward saying that he, too, was sexually abused.

Justin Kirkland and Michael Muratore, both 21, were each charged with three counts of second-degree child molestation Thursday. They are accused of molesting a boy between 2001 and 2003 who was about 11 at the time the alleged abuse started.

All were members of the Trident Latin Rites Church, which has been described as a breakaway sect of the Roman Catholic Church.

The King County charging papers accuse Kirkland and Muratore of molesting the boy at a seminary in Sammamish where the three lived.

Kirkland was also charged Dec. 23, 2004, in the rape of a different boy at a "religious home" near the Sammamish seminary between 1998 and 2003. The boy told police he was as young as 7 when the alleged sexual abuse began, according to charging papers.

The boy's mother described to police in 2004 that the Trident Latin Rites Church was a "religious cult where 'Brothers' live in a home where only males can reside and raise the boys," according to charging papers.

The mother said the boy lived in the home since he was 2 and she was allowed to see him only twice a year, according to charging papers.

Muratore is accused of molesting the boy between 1997 and 2001 and was charged with first-degree child molestation on Nov. 18, 2005.

Kirkland turned himself into authorities Nov. 28, 2005, after he was charged with two counts of first-degree child rape.

Both men were awaiting trial when the new charges were filed.

A trial date is set for Dec. 7 in King County Superior Court.