UPDATE: Modesto man, woman accused in child sexual abuse case

A 39-year-old Modesto man appeared in court Friday afternoon for the first time since he was arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing four children, including an infant, over several years. His girlfriend also was arrested Friday in connection with the investigation.

Terry William Bush is charged with 13 felony counts of sexual abuse. The defendant entered the courtroom wearing an orange-and-white inmate jumpsuit and shackles on his wrists and ankles. He did not enter a plea Friday, and his arraignment hearing was postponed until Wednesday.

The alleged abuse involves a 14-year-old girl, 10-year-old girl, 6-year-old boy and 20-day-old girl. Prosecutors say the abuse dates back to June 2005 with one of the children and continued with the others through last month, according to an amended criminal complaint filed Wednesday.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Annette Rees told the judge some of the children lived with the defendant. She asked the court to keep Bush’s bail at $1 million, saying the defendant presented a “very serious risk” to the public if he was released from custody.

Initially, Bush was arrested on suspicion of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. He was released on $50,000 bail. In the meantime, investigators discovered three other alleged victims and evidence that led to the 13 felony charges, the prosecutor said in court.

Investigators believe two of the victims are relatives of Bush’s live-in girlfriend, Tiffany McGuire, 31, and that she also molested them, according to a news release from the Modesto Police Department.

The investigation also revealed evidence of manufacturing and distribution of child pornography.

Bush was arrested again and booked at the Stanislaus County jail on Thursday.

McGuire was arrested Friday on suspicion of lewd acts with a child and additional charges will likely follow as the investigation continues, according to Modesto police. An arraignment date for McGuire has not yet been scheduled.

During Bush’s arraignment Friday, Rees told the judge they obtained a court order to increase Bush’s bail to $1 million based on the new charges and circumstances in the alleged crimes.

The charges included allegations of sexual molestation, oral copulation or sexual penetration, attempted sexual acts, lewd acts upon a child, sexual intercourse with a child 14 or 15 years old and child pornography possession. Prosecutors also allege the defendant used the boy and the infant to model for images involving sexual conduct.

Wilber Salgado, Bush’s Oakland-based attorney, argued against the $1 million bail amount. He told the judge the defendant already had bailed out and wasn’t a risk to leave the area to avoid prosecution.

Judge John Whiteside ordered the bail to be set at $1 million for the time being. The judge scheduled the defendant to return to court for his continued arraignment this week, when the court can reconsider his bail amount.

The bailiff then ushered the defendant out of the courtroom.

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 3:24 PM with the headline "UPDATE: Modesto man, woman accused in child sexual abuse case."