Falsely Arrested for Reporting a Rape

My name is James Roden. I’m a teacher, coach, ordained minister, and father. For over 20 years, I’ve devoted my life to education, mentorship, and standing up for what’s right. That commitment was put to the test in early 2024 when my adult niece—who lives with an intellectual disability—confided in me about abuse and exploitation she had suffered.

She was pregnant, and her situation raised serious legal and moral concerns. As a mandated reporter, I immediately contacted Adult Protective Services and the local sheriff’s office. I provided the facts and did what I believed the law required of me.

But instead of investigating the abuse, the system turned away. I was told that “no rape occurred,” despite my niece’s disability and the circumstances surrounding the relationship. When I asked follow-up questions and pushed for accountability, I was met with resistance and indifference.

In the following weeks, my niece voluntarily signed three sworn affidavits, each notarized independently, stating that she was not coerced by anyone and that her mother (my sister) had no knowledge of the inappropriate relationship. These statements were made while she was living out of state and were supported by video testimony she recorded—calm, coherent, and consistent.

I also collected text messages, emails, and phone call recordings that showed she was speaking freely and honestly. Her brother—who later submitted a contradictory affidavit to law enforcement—had previously admitted in a phone call that their original affidavits were true. He even drove her to get them notarized twice.

I never pressured them. In every message and email, I made it clear: “Only say what’s true.” I was trying to help my niece tell her story because no one else was listening.

And then, the system decided that telling the truth was the crime.

The Arrest That Should Never Have Happened

On April 7, 2025, just days after I submitted an updated report to the court about a second instance of abuse my niece experienced—this time while under supposed protection—I was arrested. So were my 77-year-old father, a disabled veteran, and my sister.

We were all charged with first-degree felony witness tampering.

The basis for the arrest was a vague affidavit written by the same officer who investigated my sister’s original case. This officer never contacted me. Never interviewed my niece. Never spoke to the notaries. Never referenced the videos or phone calls. The affidavit mentioned “beliefs” and “concerns,” but omitted every single piece of evidence we had already submitted—evidence that was publicly filed and timestamped.

Instead of questioning the facts, the officer created a narrative. And it worked. A judge signed the warrant, and we were arrested.

I was forced to resign from my school district the very next day. There was no internal review, no investigation—just an immediate loss of career, reputation, health insurance, and my retirement protections. It took 20 years to build my career. It took less than 24 hours to lose it all.

My father was arrested without his wheelchair or cane. My sister, a working-class mother who had done nothing wrong, was thrown into the same legal nightmare—despite my niece repeatedly stating in writing and on video that her mother never influenced her.

And the timing? My niece was scheduled to testify just days later. The arrest prevented her from doing so.

This wasn’t a lawful investigation—it was damage control. It was retaliation. It was the system silencing a vulnerable woman by targeting the only people who believed her.

Please help my defense for my family: https://gofund.me/177f5416