Learn the back story on how michael terpening was arrested for bond violations..

March 31, 2012

The phone rang at 12:21 am the morning of March 24, 2012. It was Jennifer, a Terpening Follower. She wanted to know if I knew who she was. We'd spoken before. Jennifer professed being an advocate for victims of sexual abuse, but this writer was no fan. She took a lot of criticism  from this website for acting on behalf of a defendant whose public behavior, and more particularly, the behavior of his friends and family was at odds with any concept of advocacy for victims.

From our previous conversation I knew Jennifer believed in Michael Terpening. I hunched if she stopped believing in his innocence, we'd get a call.

Over a 4 hour conversation I learned Jennifer was helping the witness who recanted. She was not sure what her next step should be and Jennifer was experiencing a myriad of feelings. A nearly homeless young man needed help,  he's admitted Michael sexually abused him, he'd moved in with Jennifer and she still has a relationship with Michael.

Jen said one thing over and over, "I cannot stand by."

My hope was she would stand still.

Having some crisis intervention experience the first question issue was safety.  What does a man out on $300,000 bond do or not do when he realizes his recanting witness is no longer recanting? Is there risk for Jennifer or the witness? Neither Jennifer nor the witness were concerned, in fact, the witness seemed to want a confrontation.

During the conversation we learned Michael attended a St. Patrick's Day Party. We learned Jennifer was at the party along with the recanting witness, two minors Jennifer brought as well as three of Susan Ward Gillihan's grandchildren. Jamie Moore Bell was also at the party and while the actual restrictions of Terpening's bond were not known, Moore Bell said in an online video she is not allowed to have contact with Michael Terpening. It was likely he was not allowed to have contact with children. We knew he'd had a conversation with the minors Jennifer brought to the party.

By 9am, Saturday morning, a key person helping with this website was able to pass information to the authorities regarding possible bail violations by Terpening.

Jennifer talks, and she talks  irresistibly.... Our conversation ended around 4:30 am and she anonymously called the State Police. She spoke to a crisis intervention service and reached out to others through the weekend. Jennifer could not stand still.

I became aware Jennifer confronted Michael Terpening with his alleged abuse of the victim living with Jennifer, even recording a phone call with Terpening. The folks working on this website continued passing information to the authorities, now with rising concern for Jennifer and the witness living with her.

Typically, we add content to this site daily.  We stopped adding content while reaching out to regular commenters. We did not want anything to appear on the site to escalate any possible safety issues. Michael Terpening knew we knew what was happening. Jennifer told him.

The Attorney General's office contacted Jennifer Monday morning, the State Police on Tuesday. Word was received Wednesday morning of Terpening's arrest around 1am that morning. We've since learned Terpening moved without notifying the court, another violation of his bond. Jennifer, not knowing his exact new address, gave State Police detailed instructions to his new home. She told us Terpening moved about a month ago.