Woman says her beliefs prompted sex with children

Erica D. Johnson

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2003 | 11:07 a.m.

Clark County jurors heard opening arguments on Monday in the trial of a woman who claims her religious beliefs drove her to engage in sex acts with two minors.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Lisa Luzaich said Marjorie Renee Escareno sexually assaulted an 11-year-old boy and a 9-year-old girl because of her so-called religious values.

"She has some religious beliefs where she believes it is OK to have sex with children," Luzaich said on the first day of Escareno's trial before District Judge Joseph Bonaventure.

Luzaich said Escareno, 32, forced the children to engage in multiple sex acts with her and a male friend after she brought the children from North Carolina to Las Vegas in October 2001.

Escareno is also charged with forcing the children to have sex with each other. She faces 16 criminal counts, including sexual assault, open and gross lewdness and kidnapping.

She was deemed mentally competent to stand trial, meaning she is able to help her attorneys with her defense.

Luzaich said the woman forced the children to engage in the sex acts by telling them that they would never see their father again.

"She told (the 11-year-old) that he was the second coming of Christ and that he'd have to die for the world's sins," Luzaich told jurors.

"She told him he had to do it."

Maile Esteban, one of Escareno's defense attorneys, did not contest prosecutor's allegations during her brief opening statement.

She said Escareno would testify during the trial and tell jurors about her religious beliefs.

"She's going to tell you she believes she did nothing wrong," Esteban said. "She will tell you that she believes the government violated her right to freedom of religion."

Escareno sat silent as Esteban read a brief statement that Esteban said her client wrote and had asked her to read.

In the statement, Escareno said she was taking "full responsibility" for her actions and that she took the case to trial in order to "set an example for my children."

"My persecution is a manifestation of Satan's fear of me," Escareno said in the statement.

"No weapon formed against me shall prosper."

Escareno also admitted the alleged crimes to North Las Vegas police when she was arrested in March 2003.

"She said that she has had sex with (the 11-year-old boy) on occasion back in North Carolina," a police officer wrote in an arrest report.

"Marjorie admitted that she had (the 11-year-old and 9-year-old) have sex while she watched on one occasion. That happened in a little motel on Main Street across from the bus station," the officer wrote.

Escareno declined to talk to police further, however, saying she wanted to speak to an attorney first.

Testimony in the case was expected to resume this morning.