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*Ep.aho (Rev. 5-8-81) @ Mount Clipping in Space Below) Expert: Ignorance of age isn’t defense in sex cases Sy LARRY KELLER Palm Beach Post Steff Writer Even if Palm Beach mon- ey manager Jeffrey Epstein didn’t know that girls who police say gave him sexual massages at his Intracoastal home were under the legal age, that alone wouldn't have exempted him from criminal charges of sexual activity with minors. “Ignorance is not a valid defense,” said Bob Dekle, a legal skills professor who was a Lake City prosecutor for nearly 30 years, half of that time specializing in sex crimes against children. “There is no knowledge element as far as the age is concerned,” Dekle said. After an 11-month investi- gation, Palm Beach .police said there was probable cause to charge Epstein, 53, with unlawful sex acts with a minor Epstein: Two politicians have retummed dona- tions since he 1 was charged with soliciting minors. and lewd and lascivious mo- Jestation. They contend that Epstein — friend of the rich and famous and financial pa- tron of Democratic Party or- ganizations and candidates — committed those acts with five underage girls. In the past week, New York Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer has returned about $50,000 in campaign contri- butions he received from Ep- stein, and Mark Green, a candidate to replace Spitzer in See EPSTEIN, 5B (Indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.) {1B / 5B / The Palm Beach Post West Palm Beach, FL Date: 8/5/2006 Edition: Title: Expertl Ignorance of age isn't defense in sex cases Character or Classification. 31E-MM-108062 Submitting Office: MM indexing: 03956-76 3/G-UN — /080b2- [I