Former Kanakuk Counselor Lee Bradberry Sentenced To Ten Years For Sex Crimes Involving Young Boys:

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Lee Julian Bradberry

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A former camp counselor for Kanakuk Kamp in Branson has been sentenced to ten years in prison for sex crimes involving young boys who attended the Christian based youth camp.

Lee Julian Bradberry, 23, of Auburn, Alabama, was sentenced to four years in prison for sexual misconduct involving a child under fourteen, seven years for statutory sodomy and two ten year sentences for child molestation.  Those sentences were ordered to be served concurrently (at the same time.) 
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Judge Mark Orr placed Bradberry on 120 day "shock" incarceration in a sex offender treatment program.  "The judge will make the determination within 120 days on whether or not he will be placed on probation at the end of the 120 days, or he will continue to serve his sentence," said Taney County Prosecutor Jeff Merrell.

In August of 2011, the boys told caseworkers that Bradberry taught them a game called "baseball" where he grabbed their penis from outside of their clothing and called it, "a grand slam." The boys also said that Bradberry would have them sit on his lap while they attended camp concerts and "he would often place his hand on the inner thigh of the victims and then eventually move his hand upward and rest it on their penis" on the outside of their clothing.

On March 5, 2012, the 12 year-old told authorities that he and Bradberry had engaged in fondling, masturbation and that Bradberry had "attempted oral sex ” with the victim, according to court documents.

The detective said he contacted Kanakuk director Collin Sparks on March 9th regarding Bradberry. Sparks told investigators that he talked with Bradberry, whom the probable cause statement describes as an “ex-employee and camp counselor,” on the phone in February of 2012.

 However, most of the details of what Sparks told the investigator were redacted from the probable cause statement.

The first known trouble of inappropriate sexual activity inside the camp surfaced in 2009 after Peter Daniel Newman, the former assistant director of the camp, was charged with multiple sex charges involving underage male campers.

Peter Daniel Newman will spend the rest of his life in prison

In June of 2010 Newman pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree statutory sodomy, three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy, and three counts of enticement of a child.  He was sentenced to two life terms plus 30 years in prison.

In February of 2011 the first civil lawsuits were filed on behalf of Newman's victims and that case is now working its way through the court system.

In March of 2011, Edward L. Ringheim of Windermere, Florida, was charged with seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious molestation in connection to young boys he transported from Florida to Kanakuk Kamp in Branson.
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Edward L. Ringheim

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Ringheim, worked at Universal Studios and volunteered for K-Life in Orlando. Authorities allege he used free passes to the amusement park as enticement to molest some of the boys he accompanied to Branson.

Doug Goodwin, chief operating officer of Kanakuk, issued a statement after the newest charges were filed, saying Bradberry’s employment was terminated after campers reported “one instance in which (he) behaved inappropriately.”

Bradberry was scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday in Taney County, however, that had to be postponed due to a winter storm.  Judge Mark Orr sentenced Bradberry Friday in Christian County.