M Jenny Edwards
SME, Animal Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
Fear and loathing in Las Vegas: A horrific case of incest, child abuse, and bestiality
January 3, 2015; Latest Update: March 17,2016
LAS VEGAS, NV – During 2014, there was a dramatic rise in the number of bestiality cases involving couples as well as children. One of the most horrific examples was uncovered in September, in a quiet residential neighborhood in Las Vegas.
On September 17th, a SWAT team descended on the double-wide mobile home of Christopher Sena, 47. Chris was living there with his ex-wife Terrie Sena, 43 who was the mother of four of his children,. His current wife Deborah Sena, 50 also lived there until August when she moved out and filed for divorce.
On the surface, the Sena household seemed fairly normal. Deborah Sena worked as a cable TV installer, and Terri Sena was a substitute teacher for the Las Vegas and Clark County public schools. Christopher was a sound engineer and a frequent vendor for community events involving children's charities. He hosted pool parties and movie viewings for neighborhood kids on a large outdoor screen. He even hosted an event for the local police as part of their promotion to increase crime awareness in the neighborhood.
But beneath that “wholesome” exterior evil was lurking.
After leaving Chris in August, Deborah Sena met with her family law attorney, and described a life of sexual abuse so horrifying, that it has sent the community reeling.
Deborah, along with another adult and a female child victim, said that Chris used “fear and intimidation” to force the wives to have sex with their own children, to have sex with each other in front of the children, and even to have sex with the family dog - all while being filmed by Chris. The abuse had spanned twelve years, and involved at least eight children between the ages of 3 and 17.
One son was forced to have sex with his parents. A female victim, now 33, reported that Chris began having sex with her when she was 11, and at 17 had sex with both wives. A male victim was forced to have sex with Deborah when he was 13 or 14, while Chris filmed the act. And one young female believes several of her friends may also have been assaulted after they were invited to attend pool parties.
Deborah told police she began fellating one of the boys when he was only 3. Terrie told them that she was attracted to both male and female teens, and that when one of her boys began looking like Chris, it was exciting to her. It wasn't until later that she began to feel “ashamed and dirty.”
During the raid in September, mounds of evidence were recovered, including digital recording equipment as well as numerous photographs and “countless hours of tape” that led to the arrest of Deborah and Terrie in December. There were multiple videotapes of two of the Sena children, as well as Deborah and Chris having sex with the family dog. Officers involved in viewing of evidence have been offered counseling, due to its extremely graphic nature.
As of January 1, 2015, Christopher Sena has been charged with nearly 60 criminal counts, including incest, sexual assault against a child under the age of 14, sexual performance with a minor (child pornography), child abuse and neglect, lewdness, conspiracy to commit sexual assault, and coercion. There is no charge for bestiality as there is no law against it in Nevada.
All three Senas are being held in the Clark County Detention Center. Chris Sena's bail ahs been set at $1.3 million, and his next hearing is scheduled for January 23.
UPDATE: February 1, 2015
Prosecutors have offered plea deals to both Deborah Sena and Terrie Sena. Terrie has accepted the offer of pleading guilty to one count of sexual assault, which carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. As part of the plea bargain, she will be convicted on one count of sexual assault and must testify against her former husband, Christopher. Prosecutor Jim Sweetin said, "It's a substantial punishment. I think it's fair, given all the circumstances. The plea deals will save the children from having to come in and testify."
Deborah has until February 5,2015 to respond to the plea offer. Her defense attorney Kristina Wildeveld, maintains that his client was not a willing participant in the abuse and, as a victim of domestic violence, she should not have to spend ten years in prison. Both Deborah and Terrie Sena, and at least one of the children attempted to report Christopher's abuse several times; however, he has never been charged with any form of domestic violence against either of his wives.
UPDATE: March 23, 2015
In a recent letter to the Las Vegas Reveiw-Journal one of the child victims defended the Sena moms, saying "Debbie and Terrie were beaten, tortured, threatened and controlled by my father ... I have seen the terrified look on Debbie's face when Christopher was angry. ... Having been a target of my father's anger, I can understand why Debbie was afraid. ... [H]e would hit you ... then hit you again, until you had been hit enough that you would answer whatever he wanted you to say." The victim when on to say that sometimes the moms would take the beatings for the kids when they wouldn't do what Christopher wanted.
Deborah Sena, who did not accept the February plea offer, is still in jail and facing 28 counts including sexual asault, incest, child abuse, open or gross lewdness, and use of a minor in the production of pornography.
UPDATE: March 17, 2016
In June, 2015, Terrie Sena was sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in ten years. She will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life. As part of her plea bargain, in August she spent several hours on the stand, testifying against her ex-husband Christopher Sena, who now faces 100 counts of sexual abuse and child pornography. Terrie testified she was a victim of domestic abuse, stating that Christopher forced her to participate in sex acts with the children, and pose for photos with underaged relatives.
In January, 2016, Deborah Sena pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault involving a family member and was later sentenced to life in prison, with a possibility of parole in ten years. She will remain on the sex offender registry for life.
In October, 2015, Terrie filed suit against the Department of Corrections, alleging they had taken no actiona against a cellmate who has repeatedly attacked her. Terrie is seeking $100,000 in damages.
The case against Christopher Sena is still pending.
Christopher Sena, 47
Mugshot taken by LVPD
Deborah Sena, 50
Mugshot taken by LVPD
Terrie Sena, 43
Mugshot taken by LVPD
There were security cameras inside and outside the house. Sena watched the family all the time and if someone was not on camera, he would ask what they were doing and why he couldn't see them.
None of the Senas were charged with bestiality because THERE IS NO LAW AGAINST BESTIALITY IN NEVADA.
Despite repeated reports to authorities, Christopher Sena has never been charged with domestic violence.