Update: Three Residents, Including Ex-Crossing Guard, Facing Charges After Sexual Assault Investigation

Three Vernon residents - includiung a former crossing guard - have been arrested on sexual assault-related charges and remained in custody on high bonds after appearing in court on Friday.

The three were taken into custody at about 1 p.m. on Thursday.

Russell Pike, 74, of 134 Vernon Ave., Apt. B, has been charged with illegal sexual contact with a victim younger than 16, fourth-degree sexual assault, and first-degree sexual assault of a minor, according to an arrest report.

Vernon police said detectives began investigating Pike in August after two women reported that Pike had sexually abused them as young children. One of the woman said he abused her from age 3 through 9, according to an arrest report.

Police were only able to secure one warrant for Pike because the statute of limitations had expired on one of the women, according to an arrest report.

Police said several other possible victims have been identified and have been interviewed by detectives, so several other charges are possible against Pike.

Pike was arrested at his home at 1 p.m. on Thursday without incident, police said. He is a former crossing guard in town, according to court records and municipal officials. He worked for about a year until this summer, police said.

He was held overnight on a $75,000 bond. He appeared in Superior Court in Rockville on Friday and his case was continued until Oct. 28, court records indicate.

He remained in custody after his appearance on a $75,000 cash bond, according to court records.

Tiffany Stramel, 43, of 655 Talcottville Rd. Unit 72, has been charged with   conspiracy to have illegal sexual contact with a victim younger than 16, conspiracy to commit fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a child, police said.

According to an arrest report, on April 20, Vernon police and the state Department of Children and Families began a joint investigation regarding potential sexual abuse. The investigation revealed that Stramel and her boyfriend, 48-year-old Kevin Fill of 83 1/2 Grand Ave., Apt. 4, allegedly abused a 13-year-old girl over the course of three years, according to an arrest report.

She was held overnight on a $75,000 bond with a court date for today.

In a separate case involving Vernon police and the DCF, Stramel allegedly provided a 13-year-old girl with alcohol and marijuana on several occasions, according to an arrest report. The investigation revealed that she also provided a 15-year-old boy with marijuana on several occasions, police said.

She was arrested at 1 p.m. on Thursday without incident, police said. An additional bond of $25,000 was placed on her for the illegal sale of alcohol to a minor and risk of injury to a child, police said.

Stramel appeared in court on Friday and remained is custody after her appearance on $35,000 cash bonds for each case, court records indicate.

She is due back in court on Nov. 2, according to court records.

Fill is charged with four counts of illegal sexual contact with a victim younger than 16, two counts of risk of injury to a child and four counts of fourth-degree sexual assault.

He was held overnight on a $75,000 bond and appeared in court in Friday. His case was continued until Nov. 1 and he remained in custody on a $75,000 cash bond, court records indicate.      

The names of sexual assault victims are not released by authorities. Therefore school system officials do not know any details about the victims, even if they were students in Vernon at the time of the alleged assaults, Superindendent of schools Mary Conway said on Friday. 

The Police Department hires crossing guards.