Article - May 4, 2008 - Paradise Post

Local chiropractor is arrested

By Paul Wellersdick

A Paradise chiropractor was arrested Thursday morning on eight charges relating to molesting a 12-year-old boy. He was booked into the Butte County Jail and his bail was set at $982,000.

Eric John Kemper, 51, was arrested without incident at 9 a.m. by Paradise Police detectives after a search warrant produced evidence against him, Paradise Police Sgt. Greg McLaughlin said. Kemper is suspected of the following crimes: a lewd act with a child under 14 with force, kidnap with intent to commit sexual assault, sodomy, criminal threats, child endangerment, contributing to the delinquency of a child, dissuading a witness/victim and oral copulation with a person under 14, a police press release stated.

Brenda Crowe, office manager at Kemper's chiropractic practice said she's known Kemper since 1989 and is his pastor at the Fellowship of Christ Church. She said the accusations against Kemper are wrong.

"They are totally false," she said. "The accusations are horrendous."

Allegations of molestation will ruin Kemper, Crowe said.

"It may ruin him forever in this town, but people never believe the truth when it comes out," she said.

Kemper is an honest caring, trustworthy and compassionate man, Crowe said. The alleged incident happened a month ago while the boy stayed a night with Kemper. Paradise Police detectives were told about the incident by the alleged victim's mother who found out about the event after her child and two juvenile friends stayed a second night with Kemper, the release stated.

Detectives conducted several interviews with the victim and several witnesses before serving the search warrant and arresting the suspect, the release stated. According to the release, Kemper gave the juveniles alcohol and let them drive his vehicle too. The department has had prior contacts with Kemper, but none involved child molestation, McLaughlin said. Crowe said Kemper has never been accused of anything like this before.

"Never, it's not in his nature," she said.

Police have gathered evidence against Kemper that is congruent with the victim's and witness' statements, McLaughlin said. Though McLaughlin wouldn't disclose evidence specifics, he did say Kemper's computer was not found at his house.

"We didn't find the goldmine of child porn and all kinds of crazy stuff," he said. "But we did find things to help with the case."

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