UPDATE: No background check conducted on arrested employee, company confirms
A pony ride company says they are reviewing hiring protocols after a former employee was arrested for allegedly inappropriately touching a juvenile.
Houston man John Blackburn, 33, was arrested Friday after police say a representative of Fifer Orchards reported a nine-year-old child took part in the pony rides offered by ‘Angels Gather Here’ on the orchard grounds in late October.
In a press release sent to media Sunday, Corporal Jeffrey Hale of the Delaware State Police says the child told her mother a man, identified as Blackburn, inappropriately touched her.
Delaware State Police confirm Blackburn is registered as a tier three sex offender, meaning he’s been convicted of the most serious of sex crimes.
According to online records, Blackburn was convicted in 2002 for 2nd degree Unlawful Sexual Intercourse. The victim was between one and 11 years old.
JoAnn Crowson, a co-owner of Angels Gather Here pony rides, tells 47ABC the company immediately fired Blackburn after the incident was reported; however, she admits they had no idea of his past, because there was no background check conducted.
“95 percent of the time, we hire kids that are 9 to 14, 15 years old,” says Crowson, adding Blackburn was hired off a recommendation from a friend.
Moving forward, Angels Gather Here says they’re considering hiring only females.
“If we were to ever hire anyone other than a kid to walk our ponies, yes there would definitely be a background check,” she says.
As for the company, Crowson says they’re staying positive and trying to regain trust.
“They’ve always trusted us before,” she tells 47ABC. “An incident like this has never happened, and I would certainly like to say will never happen again.”
Blackburn has been charged with Unlawful Sexual Contact of a Child by a Registered Sex Offender and Failure to Re-Register as a Sex Offender Within Three Days after a Change in Employment.
Delaware State Police say more charges are expected; however, there are no charges pending against the pony ride company.
As of 3 p.m. Monday, Blackburn remains behind bars at James T. Vaughn on 106,000 dollars cash bond.
If anyone has any information in reference to this incident they are asked to contact Detective William Miller at 302-698-8435. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, via the internet at www.delaware.crimestoppersweb.com, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”
