Three minors aged 13 and 14 from Beersheba were indicted on Sunday on charges that they threatened two other minors and forced them to perform sexual acts on one another while filming the incident, according to an indictment filed with the Beersheba District Court sitting as a juvenile court.
The indictment, filed by attorney Shirel Farjun of the Southern District Prosecutor's Office, states that several days earlier, during the nighttime hours, the two complainants were returning home after meeting friends at a park in the city. At the time, the defendants were sitting on a nearby bench, allegedly carrying a kitchen knife and drinking alcohol.
According to the indictment, the main defendant called on the complainants to approach him. From that point, the defendants allegedly subjected them to severe abuse for approximately two hours.
Among other things, prosecutors alleged that the defendants assaulted the complainants and used threats to force them to perform sexual acts on one another. The main defendant allegedly threatened them with a knife and held it against the neck of one of the complainants on at least four separate occasions. Another defendant allegedly struck the complainants.
The indictment further states that the main defendant deleted applications from one complainant's cellphone in an effort to prevent him from being located. During the incident, the defendants allegedly filmed what was happening and mocked the complainants.
According to the indictment, the defendants continued their actions despite the complainants' resistance and repeated requests that they stop both the acts and the filming.
Defendants threatened to harm victims' family members
Only after the mother of one of the complainants called him did the main defendant allegedly instruct him to lie to her about his location.
The defendants later returned the complainants' cellphones and clothing and allegedly threatened them not to tell anyone what had happened, warning that otherwise they would harm their family members. The defendants then fled the scene.
The complainants got dressed and returned to their homes frightened and shaking, where they reported the incident.
In a request to keep the main defendant in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings, Farjun wrote that he had exploited the complainants' fear in order to degrade and humiliate them.
She stated that the defendant did not leave them or relent despite their repeated requests until he had achieved his objective, adding that the severity of his alleged actions indicated serious distortions in his thinking.
Defendants charged with rape, extortion, obstructing investigation
The defendants are charged with rape under aggravated circumstances committed jointly, indecent acts under aggravated circumstances committed jointly, extortion by threats committed jointly, and obstruction of an investigation.
The main defendant is additionally charged with rape under aggravated circumstances and violating a lawful order, after allegedly committing the offenses while under house arrest.
Prosecutors requested that the main defendant remain in custody until the conclusion of proceedings. Regarding the other defendants, prosecutors requested an extension of the restrictive conditions imposed on them.