Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 18, 1994                   TAG: 9402180177
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

IN VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA BEACH - A teen-age boy who was molested by a church youth group leader in 1991 has sued the church and the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia.

The lawsuit, which seeks $2 million for the boy and $1 million for his parents, was filed Tuesday in Circuit Court and accuses the Eastern Shore Chapel in Virginia Beach and the diocese of negligently hiring and supervising the youth group leader, Ronald L. Roberson.

The boy, who was 14 at the time, was molested about 25 times at retreats, camping events and other church-sponsored activities, said his attorney, Ross Weinstein.

But Donald Clark, the church's attorney, said none of the incidents occurred on church property or during church activities and that Roberson was not a church employee.

Roberson, 44, a former high school English teacher and wrestling coach, pleaded guilty in 1992 to molestation charges and was sentenced to six months in jail and 300 hours of community service. - Associated Press \

Man gets life sentence for murder of trooper

MANASSAS - Louis J. Dukes Jr. was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for the murder of Trooper Jose M. Cavazos on an Interstate 95 exit ramp.

Judge Richard Potter also sentenced Dukes to 10 years in prison on a charge of grand larceny and two years for using a firearm in the commission of a felony, said Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert.

Ebert said Dukes, 22, of Washington, D.C., would be eligible for parole in about 15 years.

A jury in November convicted Dukes of first-degree murder for participating in the murder. The gunman - Lonnie Weeks Jr., 21, of Fayetteville, N.C. - was convicted of capital murder and was sentenced Jan. 13 to die in the electric chair.

Cavazos was shot five times in February 1993 after he stopped a stolen car for speeding near Dale City. - Associated Press

\ Men arrested, charged in Monday cross burning

LEESBURG - Two white men have been arrested on charges they burned a cross in a black woman's yard.

Vincent M. Ciaravella, 30, and Jason Sebelin, 18, were arrested at their home late Tuesday and charged with burning a cross to intimidate, a felony that carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Ciaravella also was charged with making threatening phone calls, a misdemeanor. Both men remained in custody Wednesday.

The woman, Patricia Lansdown, said she has known Ciaravella and Sebelin for years and dates one of their roommates, who also is white. She said Ciaravella had been harassing her for several months. The cross burning occurred Monday night.

The FBI is investigating the incident for possible civil rights violations. - Associated Press