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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Teenager Sues Criminal Photographer

FAIRFIELD, Calif. (CN) - A Northern California photographer who ran Night Shadow Creations Photography repeatedly raped and sodomized a teenage girl, sometimes watched by his wife, and posted photos of it on the Internet, the teenager claims in court.

Jane Doe sued Robert L. Hoover, Peggy Hoover, and Night Shadow Creations Photography in July 21, in Solano County Court.

Doe, now 18, says that she moved in with the Hoovers in the winter of 2010, when she was 15. She lived there until July 2011, but continued to visit as an "invited guest," she says in the complaint.

Doe claims that Robert Hoover "engaged in 'glamour' photography, including but not limited to pictorial depictions of females in various states of undress and photographs of females in lingerie." Peggy Hoover knew that, Doe says.

She claims that Peggy Hoover also knew that her husband "also engaged in photography of teens engaged in simulated sexual acts as well as actual sexual acts, including depictions of sadism and masochism, bondage, oral sex and sexual penetration," and that this occurred in the Hoover's house.

Doe claims that Peggy Hoover knew before 2010, and through November 2012, that her husband had "unlawful sexual contact" with young girls, and photographed them. In tact, she says, "In October 2012, Peggy Hoover entered a room at the residence, where Robert L. Hoover was in the process of engaging in the sexual abuse of minors, including plaintiff, but failed to take any steps to control or otherwise stop the unlawful conduct."

She claims that "Peggy Hoover, on multiple occasions between April 2010 and October 2012, purchased alcohol, and left it within the residence, to be provided to Jane Doe ... and that the use of the alcohol would interfere with Jane Doe's judgment and reasoning."

Starting June 2010, and every month thereafter through November 2012, Robert Hoover photographed Doe "while she [was] nude and while she engaged in sexual acts" and then "transmitted and disseminated those images to various recipients and European websites," Doe says in the lawsuit.

In each of these months, Doe claims, "Robert L. Hoover repeatedly raped and sodomized Jane Doe at the residence."

The complaint continues: "On September 13, 2013, defendant Robert L. Hoover was convicted on 26 separate felony counts, including multiple counts of sexual penetration by force, sodomy with a person under 16, oral copulation, sexual penetration by object, use of a minor for sex acts and sodomy with a person under 18."

The (Fairfield) Reporter newspaper reported at the time that Hoover pleaded no contest to 22 felonies after making a plea deal. Hoover, then 65, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Police found more than 50,000 pornographic photos on Hoover's computers, according to the newspaper.

Doe seeks punitive damages for assault, sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, plus medical expenses and impairment of future earnings.

She is represented by Matthew P. Guichard, with Guichard, Teng & Portello, of Concord.

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