Cedar Rapids, IA, Postal Inspector Troy Raper was honored in Washington during a busy day that culminated in the presentation of the prestigious 2008 National Missing and Exploited Children’s Award.
James Bentley was arrested in November 2004 on charges of sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl and her baby sister. While Bentley was in jail awaiting trial, his older brother kidnapped, raped and murdered the 10-year-old girl. Inspector Raper, along with Investigator Charity Hansel of the Cedar Rapids police department, conducted an investigation that led to the sentencing of James Bentley to 100 years in federal prison. The investigation also resulted in the conviction of Bentley’s brother, Roger, who received two consecutive life sentences without parole for his crimes.
The pair was honored at the 13th Annual Congressional Breakfast and Awards Ceremony. Later that day, John Walsh, co-founder of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, presented the organization’s award to Raper and Hansel.
The Postal Inspection Service investigates criminals who use the mail to traffic in child pornography. Today, nearly all of the cases investigated by the Postal Inspection Service include the Internet as well as the U.S. Mail.
