Former prosecutor/youth worker charged with corrupting minors

A former Bucks County prosecutor who resigned one day after police discovered him half-dressed in a parked car with a minor was charged today with endangering the welfare of children and corrupting minors.

Anthony Cappuccio, 31, of Hilltown Township, and a 17-year-old boy - both part of a church youth group - were found at about midnight Sept. 5 parked at a shopping center in Quakertown, according to court documents. Cappuccio was a volunteer with a group at First United Methodist Church in Perkasie, and the boy was a member.

Cappuccio and the teen had been having a sexual relationship for four months, documents say. The two met when Cappuccio volunteered with the youth group.

Cappuccio has admitted the sexual relationship, along with supplying alcohol to youths in the church group and smoking marijuana with them on trips to area concerts, according to court documents.

Louis Busico, Cappuccio's attorney, would not say how Cappuccio would plead.

"Nothing has been determined," Busico said. "Mr. Cappuccio would like to move on and protect and preserve the privacy of all involved in this case, and we're deciding what's the most effective way to accomplish that goal."

The concert trips were not church-related activities and were not sanctioned by the congregation, said the Rev. Blaik Westhoff, pastor of the church. Cappuccio, who worked with the youth group for four years, underwent a criminal background check and a child abuse clearance check when he began working with the group, Westhoff said.

Cappuccio, who is married with two children, is charged with three counts each of endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors, and furnishing alcohol to minors.

He worked as a chief deputy district attorney in the Bucks County District Attorney's Office beginning last October. He had joined the department as an assistant district attorney in 2002, District Attorney Michelle Henry said. Before that, he had worked with the office as an intern while attending Temple University Law School.

The case is being handled by the state Attorney General's Office to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, Henry said.

Cappuccio was arraigned this morning in Richland Township. He was released on $100,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Nov. 21.

Former pastor found guilty of indecency

A Travis County jury on Thursday found a former South Austin pastor and apartment complex handyman guilty of multiple felony counts related to sexually molesting three boys in 2005 and 2006.

Rodolfo Sosa, 50, was convicted on all counts against him — five counts of indecency with a child by contact and one of indecency with a child by exposure. He faces up to 20 years on each indecency by contact charge and up to 10 years on the remaining charge. Senior state District Judge Jon Wisser will sentence Sosa on Nov. 21.

Sosa was taken into custody by sheriff's deputies after the verdicts were read.

Sosa "is a predator and he preyed on the weak," prosecutor Joe Frederick said during closing arguments.

Prosecutor Rob Drummond told the jury: "Not one, not two, but three (now) teenage boys came into this courtroom, sat on that witness stand and described to you how this man, Rodolfo Sosa, molested them."

When Sosa was arrested in 2006, he was pastor of the Ciudad del Refugio Church, which rented a portable building from Westoak Woods Baptist Church at 2900 W. Slaughter Lane. He was also a maintenance worker at the AMLI at Lantana Ridge Apartments on West William Cannon Drive near U.S. 290 West in Southwest Austin.

The church has dissolved, and Sosa no longer works for the apartment complex, according to defense lawyer Aaron Mueller.

Lawyers said that two of the boys testified this week that they knew Sosa from church. They said Sosa repeatedly touched them and exposed himself to them at places including a vacant apartment in the complex where Sosa worked, lawyers said. One said that Sosa performed oral sex on him.

The other boy testified that he lived at the Lantana Ridge Apartments and that Sosa touched him improperly while at his apartment to fix the water heater. The boy's father was at work at the time.

During his closing arguments, defense lawyer Jon Evans urged the jury to pick out inconsistencies in the testimony. For example, he noted that the father of one boy testified that his son told him that Sosa unsuccessfully attempted to touch his penis, Evans noted. The teen, Evans said, testified that Sosa did touch him. Evans also faulted police for not attempting to locate a semen stain on the floor of the apartment.

Schuylkill County pastor charged in assaults on girl, 14

A pastor at two Schuylkill County churches was arrested Thursday on charges of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl, state police said.

The Rev. Alan R. Sienkiewicz, whose age and address were not available, was charged with aggravated indecent assault and related offenses.

Sienkiewicz was pastor at Christ Independent Church in Lavelle and Grace Baptist Church in Ashland.

According to troopers:

Sienkiewicz sexually assaulted the girl several times between January 2007 and April 2008.

Sienkiewicz assaulted the girl in his home, in the parsonage at Grace Baptist Church and in a tractor-trailer he owns.

Incest charges against pastor dropped

A pastor who was arrested this month on charges of sexual incest with his daughter has been cleared of all charges.

Last week, as the case was preparing to go to trial, the District Attorney's office dropped all charges against Laron D. Williams, pastor of a Chatham congregation.

Williams said he gives praise to God for clearing him in the matter which he said was a domestic dispute between he and his ex-wife.

Williams says his ex-wife threatened to ruin him if he did not meet certain financial demands she made, especially after he married another woman in his church.

He said she manufactured tales of reported incest with her 12 old daughter in retaliation.

Williams was accused of showing porno movies to the 12 year and then sexually abusing her.

The entire incident exposed Williams to incriminating and embarrasing accusations, mostly posted on the internet.

When it all came down last week, the charges were deemed bogus and the case thrown out.

Now the pastor has the job of rebuilding his reputation..

Arrest uncovers accusations of sex abuse ring at Portland commune

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Detectives said there were more victims and more than a dozen new suspects worldwide in a suspected sex abuse ring operating out of a former Northeast Portland church.

Police think that the commune operated in the mid-1990s, involving at least 80 people living in four Northeast Portland homes.

The investigation started in 2007, when two young girls walked into a Central precinct station to report they had been sexually abused between 1998 and 2000 while they and their families attended “The Peach House” ministries in Northeast Portland.

That tip led to the arrest of 32-year-old Maximo Ake-Be on charges of rape, sodomy and sex abuse in June of that year. He pleaded not guilty to the chargesand was held on $4.5 million bail. Ake-Be was by then a pastor at Senior Pastor of Iglesia De Dios in Kelso.

Ake-Be was also in the U.S. illegally at the time of his arrest, police said.

Background: Pastor sex abuse arrest

Since then the investigation widened, with five more victims and 15 more suspects identified, detectives said Wednesday.

Police said the “Back to the Cross Ministries” operated out of The Peach House, a private in-home church located in the 5300 block of Northeast Hoyt Street.

Members lived communally in four NE Portland homes, with their lives, jobs and relationships were all controlled by the senior pastor, Manuel Taboada, investigators revealed.

The church ceased operations in Portland, but in 1999 many of the members moved to Hawaii, police said.

Taboada was arrested earlier this year in Hawaii on multiple felony charges.

Taboada was the leader of a small religious ministry in Kaneohe, Hawaii, when he was arrested for the sexual assault of a member’s daughter, TV station KHON reported.

Court documents obtained by KHON showed Toaboada warned the victim if she told anyone, the children would all be taken away.

Portland police said recently one man came forward to say he was sexually assaulted by at least 14 men in the group while he was between the ages of eight and twelve.

Detectives said many of the other suspects have recently fled the United States and police were hoping any more victims, church members or witnesses would come forward.

Anyone with information was asked to contact Detective Mace Winter or Detective Mike Perry at (503) 823-0306.

Parish paying pastor convicted of molesting child

VANCOUVER -- A Delta youth pastor convicted of child sex abuse in Mexico -- and wanted in B.C. for child pornography -- is still being paid by his parish.

Brad Firth, 41, the former supervisor of youth activities at St. David's Anglican Church in Tsawwassen, has been receiving "compassionate pay" of $1,000 a month since being arrested in the Baja Peninsula, near Tijuana, in 2004.

"He is suspended with reduced pay," Rector Rev. Paul Woehrle said yesterday. "We are giving something to support him and his son."

Woehrle said the money goes toward buying additional food and water as well as for physical, mental and emotional counselling for Firth and his adopted Haitian son. The preteen boy is living with Firth's family in Alberta.
Brad Firth, is still collecting cash from his parish despite a conviction for child molestationView Larger Image View Larger Image
Brad Firth, is still collecting cash from his parish despite a conviction for child molestation

The parish is also covering Firth's legal fees.

Asked how the parish justifies paying a convicted sex offender, Woehrle said: "We had a plan that says, until the appeal process is exhausted, we would continue this financial support.

"The appeal process has not been exhausted yet. That's our rationale."

The decision to continue paying Firth was supported by a parish council vote, he said.

Neale Adams, spokesman for the Diocese of New Westminster, said Firth was employed by the parish and not by the diocese.

The diocese refused to comment on Firth's conviction.

Firth was convicted in June of sexually abusing a 14-year-old Mexican boy who attended a Bible camp at an Ensenada church in 2001.

He was sentenced to 11 years, minus four years for time spent in La Mesa penitentiary since being arrested on July 15, 2004.

On Oct. 14, Firth appeared before an appeal tribunal. The results are expected in the next few weeks.

The church has asked parishioners to pray that Firth's appeal goes well, and for the well-being of his lawyer.

Firth had been going on twice-yearly missionary trips to Mexico for eight years when he was arrested.

On 15 of the 16 trips, he travelled with young people and at least two adults. The groups worked renovating churches and orphanages and conducted Bible camps.

In B.C., Firth ran the St. David's Powerhouse Youth Centre for youths aged 17 to 19. He worked with the church for 13 years, 10 as its full-time youth pastor.

That position has since been filled and, even if Firth is released, Woehrle "doesn't see that changing."

"The goal is to get him on a plane," Woehrle said. "This will not be an ongoing situation. As soon as he's on a plane, then we'll have to review the whole situation."

If and when Firth returns to Canada, he will be greeted by police.

Firth is wanted by Delta police on one count of possessing child pornography and one of accessing child pornography.

He faces up to five years in prison on both charges.

Police said "numerous images" were found in Firth's church office in a November 2004 investigation.

"We're not sure what was found and where it was found," said Woehrle. "Although he is facing the two charges, we don't know what the source of that was."

Asked if there had been inappropriate behaviour by Firth in this past, Woehrle said: "No. I've been here for six years and, no, there were none."

Woehrle refused to say if he was aware of complaints or concerns about Firth behaving inappropriately -- illegally or otherwise -- before Woehrle became rector.

hApPy BiRThdAY!

Happy Birthday Jonah! Have a great day buddy!

Mark

Spanking incident leads to arrest of church pastor

The pastor of Lakeview Baptist Church was arrested and charged last week in connection with a spanking incident at Lakeview Christian School.

Michael Charles Belcher, 45, of 283 McDaniel Ave., Pickens, was charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature for allegedly leaving bruises on a 4-year-old boy, according to an arrest warrant.

The warrant said the child was spanked twice with a wooden paddle and had "revoltingly egregious bruises to his buttocks."

According to the warrant, Belcher allegedly had parental permission to spank the child and paddled him twice for being disruptive in class.

Belcher is free on a $7,500 personal recognizance bond.

Sex abuser awaits evaluation, sentencing

A 34-year-old Washington City man scheduled for sentencing Tuesday on two counts of third-degree felony attempted sexual abuse of a child was ordered to undergo a diagnostic evaluation instead. Gabriel E. Carlin appeared before 5th District Court Judge Eric Ludlow, who ordered Carlin to turn himself in at the Washington County jail Friday by 6 p.m. The Department of Corrections will perform the evaluation at the prison. Carlin, a former teacher, pastor and day-care operator, was originally charged with four counts of first-degree felony aggravated child sex abuse for kissing and fondling an 11-year-old girl in March 2006. At the time, Carlin owned the now-defunct East Harbor Christian Academy in Washington City, where the victim was a student. Carlin's sentencing hearing was reset for Jan. 27.

Baker City youth pastor accused of sex abuse

A former youth pastor has been charged with sexually abusing a 16-year-old girl.

Baker City Police arrested 34-year-old Dean B. Barnes at his home after he returned from a trip to Israel this week.

Police Chief Wyn Lohner said in a statement that Barnes and the girl had non-consensual sexual contact multiple times between March and August.

Lohner said the girl's parents came to police in July because Barnes had been continually calling and texting her. Police met with Barnes and asked him to stop.

Lohner says police gained information two weeks ago that led them to suspect sexual abuse, and arrested him after his return to the U.S.

Barnes was a youth pastor at a Baker City church until July, and he knows the alleged victim through that role.

Porn-surfing pastor downs church network

A church minister from Strängnäs, Sweden, has walked the plank after his local church's computer network contracted a nasty case of the clap as a result of his porn surfing, The Local reports.

The Church of Sweden clergyman admitted to "spending a lot of time at work viewing pornographic websites", but his lust for smut would probably have remained known only to him and his God had it not "given rise to a lethal computer virus" which smote the parish's IT systems.

Archbishop Anders Wejryd said: "Priests are people too, but I have no understanding at all for someone sitting and surfing for porn on the parish computers." Church legal spokeswoman Charlotta Novosel confirmed: "He recently decided to resign."

The powers that be have not yet decided whether a righteous defrocking is in order in this case - a fate avoided by a pastor in Gothenburg who recently "came under scrutiny for moistening post-it notes with his penis and sticking them up in an office" and was allowed to keep his job

Pastor school principal arrested

MOBERLY - Police arrested James Wilson, teacher and principal at Terrill Road Christian Academy, on charges of child molestation and kidnapping.

It started in May, when a 16-year-old girl told police that Wilson abducted her from a gas station in Moberly. She said he then drove to Motel 6 on I-70 Drive Southwest in Columbia where Wilson sexually assaulted her.

It wasn't until this month that investigators identified the actual scene.

Wilson denied taking the girl to the motel, but investigators were able to confirm he was there by checking motel records.

James Wilson is pastor, teacher and principal at the Terrill Road Christian Academy in Moberly, which he and his wife operate.

His son, Caleb, says his dad is innocent, and prosecutors are making the case a top priority.

"That he's been arrested and from the minute there I knew it wasn't true because he would never, ever do anything like this," said Caleb.

"Yes I can say that we do see a lot, more than I would like to see," said Prosecuting Attorney Daniel Knight. "But we have a lot of good investigative agencies that handle this and I think catch a lot of it."

James Wilson has no hearing scheduled yet and he's free on a $25,000 bond.

The two dozen or so students at Terrill Road Christian Academy are continuing with their usual schedules.

Wilson is facing kidnapping and child molestation charges.

Pastor molests 10 year old girl

MONTREAL -- A self-described Montreal pastor who says a so-called marriage to a 10-year-old girl gave him the right to have sex with her has been found guilty of sexual assault.

Daniel Cormier, 56, was convicted by Quebec Court Judge Sylvie Durand yesterday after a five-year trial.

Mr. Cormier, who headed the now-defunct Church of Downtown Montreal and who once ran for mayor of Montreal, showed no emotion as Judge Durand read her ruling in court, staying two other charges of sexual touching and invitation to touching.

The girl, who is now 19 but still cannot be identified, was seated at the back of the courtroom and listened to a translation of the verdict with her mother.

She testified during the trial that she was too young to grasp Mr. Cormier's plan for a married life together and denied ever entering any sort of union with him. But Judge Durand noted she did recall much of the sexual abuse in stark, vivid detail.

"They were criminal acts that caused a lot of consequences to the victim, some measurable and others that's not possible for us to put into evidence," Crown prosecutor Anne-Andrée Charette said outside the courtroom.

"He stole her childhood from her and it is something I'll try to sum up for the court at the sentencing."

Judge Durand told Mr. Cormier earlier this year his defence that he was married to the girl wouldn't be accepted and she would not hear any testimony to that effect.

Mr. Cormier has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing or being a pedophile, saying he is simply lovestruck for the youngster he called his wife.

He still faces a pair of sex-related charges against a different 16-year-old girl in a trial scheduled to begin in January. He completely denies the allegations regarding the 16-year-old, and says he did nothing illegal with the 10-year-old he claims to have married at a ceremony at his obscure evangelical church in 1999.

Mr. Cormier took the family under his wing starting in 1993, while he headed the church, which catered to the marginalized. That's where he met the girl's mother, at the time a recovering junkie and prostitute, taking her and her two young daughters under his wing.

The family described Mr. Cormier as a father figure who increasingly became a parental fixture in the girls' lives. The sisters frequently stayed with Mr. Cormier or vacationed with him and other church members.

It was during these moments that other church members began to grow suspicious of Mr. Cormier's relationship with the victim. He was arrested in 2003 after a social worker alerted police about the situation involving the girl.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for late November, and Ms. Charette has indicated she will seek prison time for Mr. Cormier.

Threesomes .......

Youth Minister Charged With Sexual Abuse

DECATUR,AL- A youth minister is accused of sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy. 23-year-old Robert Poitier was arrested last night after the pastor had contacted police several months ago.

Investigators say Poitier used his position as a youth pastor to gain trust at the church and be left alone with children.

Police say Poitier has worked at other churches in the area and want to know if anyone else has been harmed.

Meanwhile, investigators in Nebraska say they are also looking at Poitier for similar accusations there.

If you have information of others Poitier may have had contact with or other information that could help police please call the Decatur Police at 341-4842.

Come out Come out wherever you are.

It is national coming out day...... time to make yourself visible to help yourself and other to see us as human. This is very important especially to those other young people in the closet to have us all be visible.

So this is your chance to going the millions that are already out and proud. Good luck to all of you.

Onanite

About the faces

I have noticed something. Those pastors who are arrested and black, get their faces shown, the white boys don't. Is that racism or just me?

Onanite

Upstate NY pastor faces child pornography charges

CANTON, N.Y. - Police are charging a northern New York Baptist pastor with possessing child pornography on his computer.

The Rev. Merton Parks resigned this week as pastor of the First Baptist Church in Oswegatchie after learning he was under investigation.

Parks was arrested Thursday and charged with possessing a sexual performance by a child. He was released to probation supervision after being arraigned in Canton Town Court. It could not be immediately learned if Parks has a lawyer.

Authorities say they tracked the 60-year-old pastor using his credit card to buy child pornography on a computer inside the church.

Parks says he didn't know the images were illegal and did it to help with a medical problem related to his inability to have marital relations with his wife.

Youth Group Leader Arrested on Sex Charges

Youth Group Leader Arrested on Sex Charges -- More Victims?

Clovis Police today arrested 24-year-old Aldrich Rigon of Fresno for having sexual encounters with two Clovis teenage girls over the past several months. Rigon served as a youth group leader of Kingdom Christ Ministry, a teenage church group through the Seventh Day Adventist Fil-Am Church in Fresno, for about 2 years before leaving in May. He met both of his victims through the vespers.

Detectives arrested Rigon for two counts of oral copulation, one count of penetration with a foreign object, and 2 counts of having sex with a minor under the age of 18. All of the encounters took place over the past several months in Clovis and Fresno.

Investigators are concerned that there may be more victims connected to this case. If you have any information or if there is a victim in your family, please call Det. Murillo at 324-2569.

Arkansas Pastor Accused of Raping 12 Year-Old Girl

PHILLIPS COUNTY, AR -- An Arkansas pastor is accused of raping a 12 year-old girl who sings in his choir. Reverend Calvin Frierson of West Helena was arrested Monday October 6, 2008. Investigators say he would drop the girl off after choir rehearsal. But before he would do that, the two would go to his home, where Frierson is accused of having sex with her.

Frierson’s niece Alberta, says he's innocent. "The only reason he got so much publicity about is because he's a pastor. He's a well looked up to guy in Helena, so people just want to throw dirt on his name," said Alberta Frierson.

Regardless of what Alberta Frierson believes investigators feel they have enough evidence to lock up her uncle, Calvin Frierson. Frierson is the pastor of Second Baptist Church in Lexa, AR.

Friends and family members say this is nothing like him. Frierson’s niece said, "That's the first and probably going to be the last time you hear something about Calvin Frierson."

But some have their doubts. One of Frierson’s neighbors said, "Why would you spend so much time with a 12 year-old. Why would you take her to and from choir rehearsal? Just you and her?"

Because this is a sex crime, Arkansas State Police are also involved in the investigation. Detectives tell Eyewitness News Frierson has no prior criminal record.

Belant represents himself at Wednesday hearing

Andrew Belant, a former youth pastor charged for allegedly molesting four young boys, represented himself in court Wednesday after filing a motion to have his home computer returned to him from the evidence locker.

Belant, 25, stood in his orange jumpsuit, holding a mass of files, his hands chained together.

”I have this paperwork,” Belant told the judge. “It's rather hard to hand it over with my handcuffs on.”

Humboldt County Judge W. Bruce Watson did not allow Belant's restraints to be removed, nor did he grant Belant's motion, which requested the District Attorney return all digital evidence seized by authorities when he was arrested in March 1.

Watson read off a number of items Belant had requested in the motion -- a computer, telephone, digital hard drive, camera and DVDs -- and told him those items have evidentiary value and will be kept.

Watson also admonished Belant that his motion was an example of “things that are pitfalls with self-representation.”

”Some things may appear to be black and white, but there are intricacies” to the law, Watson said.

Jury selection was scheduled to begin in early December, and Belant requested more time to prepare his case. The request was denied by Watson as the requirements for a speedy trial ensure jury selection must begin up to 60 days after Wednesday's hearing.

”Since I just took over the case recently, I have a lot of things to
look over,” Belant said, arguing prosecution had over four months to prepare their case, while he will be given considerably less.

”That, Mr. Belant, is neither here nor there,” Watson replied.

Belant exercised his right to represent himself during a Sept. 22 court hearing. He had been previously represented by attorney Patrik Griego.

”I don't mean to be disrespectful,” said District Attorney Paul Gallegos. “He (Belant) doesn't know the law.”

Gallegos appeared at the Wednesday hearing, replacing former prosecuting attorney Kelly Neel, who now works with Humboldt County counsel.

Following the hearing, Gallegos said Belant's choice to defend himself raises a number of unique obstacles for both prosecution and defense. Although Gallegos said he could only speculate what Belant's motivations were, there are a variety of reasons he may have chosen to act as his own attorney.

Because he will have considerably more time to speak throughout the trial, Gallegos said Belant will effectively “testify without testifying,” and will be able to constantly interact face-to-face with the jurors.

The move will also allow Belant to directly question the four alleged victims -- who are between the ages of 9 and 13.

”He's not going to intimidate these victims,” Gallegos said. “They know about the decisions he's made and they're ready.”

Belant, who has pleaded not guilty to 18 counts of child molestation, worked as a junior youth pastor at the Eureka First Presbyterian Church, an after-school program at Lafayette Elementary School. He was a student teacher in the credential program at Humboldt State University.

Jury selection for his trial is expected to begin Dec. 1.

Indecent touching by former youth pastor

NORRISTOWN — A 61-year old Abington man and former church youth group leader has admitted to having inappropriate contact with a 13-year-old girl who was a member of the youth group.

Norman R. Brooks, of the 1500 block of Easton Road, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court on Monday to misdemeanor charges of indecent assault, corruption of a minor and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with incidents that occurred between January and March of 2008 while Brooks volunteered as a youth group leader at Carmel Presbyterian Church in the Glenside section of Abington.

Judge Thomas C. Branca deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigative report about Brooks. Branca will use that report to assist him in sentencing Brooks later this year.

Brooks faces a possible maximum sentence of six to 12 years in prison on the charges.

Brooks remains free on $500,000 unsecured bail while awaiting his next court hearing.

Assistant District Attorney James Zoll said Brooks is prohibited from having any contact with the girl or her family and all children under the age of 18, as conditions of his bail.

Brooks, who is represented by defense lawyer Michael F. Dunn, also is prohibited from returning to Carmel Presbyterian Church.

Several spectators in the courtroom gasped and glared at Brooks as Zoll, summarizing the facts of the case for the judge, described the inappropriate contact that Brooks had with the girl.

Testimony and court documents indicate the girl told police that Brooks had inappropriate contact with her on about nine occasions between January and March while she was in Brooks' company.

The girl told authorities that Brooks touched her in an indecent manner while at several different locations, including the church and at the Keswick Theater while the youth group was attending a showing of "Jesus Christ Superstar," according to the arrest affidavit.

During one alleged encounter, Brooks gave the girl a hug and said to her, "I love you or have special feelings for you even though I'm not supposed to," according to the criminal complaint filed by Abington Detective Robert Allmond.

When detectives interviewed Brooks about the allegations in April, Brooks admitted to touching the girl inappropriately on several occasions, according to the arrest affidavit.

Pine Bluff Pastor Faces Charges In Rape Of Teen

Police say about three weeks ago the Arkansas State Police Hot Line notified the Pine Bluff Police Department's Detective Office of the reported rape of a 16-year-old girl in Pine Bluff.

The investigation revealed enough evidence to support the report as being factual.

43-year-old Edgar Franklin Jr. was identified a suspect and information developed indicates the sexual assaults have been ongoing for the past two years.

Officers say Franklin is the pastor of New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Pine Bluff.

Around 2:00 pm Thursday, Franklin was arrested on Probable Cause for the Rape and taken to the Jefferson County Detention Center pending formal charges being field by the Prosecuting Attorney?s office.

Franklin will appear Friday morning before Circuit Judge Rob Wyatt Jr. at the Jefferson County Court House for a Probable Cause Hearing.

Former pastor accused of molestations

The former senior pastor of the First United Pentecostal Church in Redding was arrested this afternoon on suspicion of more than 40 counts of child molestation.

Shasta County sheriff’s deputies arrested David Leon Bishop at his home at about 4 p.m. He was booked into Shasta County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail on multiple counts of alleged child molestation.

Bishop, who had been pastor of the church since the early 1970s, resigned from the church several months ago, but the exact circumstances of his resignation were then unclear.

Redding criminal defense attorney Richard Maxion said tonight that he and Bishop had known about the criminal investigation for many months.

“I was a little surprised and disappointed that we weren’t told of his (pending) arrest,” he said, adding that Bishop has been cooperative and has been available to surrender to authorities for many months.

“He was prepared to surrender as soon as they had a warrant,” Maxion said. “He has been patiently waiting.”

Although Maxion said he has not seen the criminal complaint against his client, a Shasta County prosecutor told him earlier that it alleges more than 40 criminal counts of child molestation.

The alleged molestations, he said, were said to have occurred “many years” ago.

The district attorney’s office is precluded from filing child molestation charges if they occurred before 1988.

A spokesman for the Shasta County district attorney’s office could not be reached after business hours tonight.

Maxion said that he hadn’t yet spoken with Bishop tonight, but that he has been in contact with the ex-pastor’s wife.

“Mrs. Bishop is doing well considering the circumstances, but understandably emotional,” he said.

Maxion said Bishop hired him around the same time he resigned from the church. He said he believes that the law enforcement probe began after Bishop stepped down.

At the time Bishop quit his post, tight-lipped church leaders declined to discuss his resignation and instead issued a five-paragraph statement saying that “God’s word condemns child molestation and abuse.”

“As leaders of this church, we cannot nor will (we) tolerate the violation of God’s word, especially pertaining to children,” that statement read.

That directive was distributed after the congregation held a private meeting at the East Cypress Avenue church, now called the Hope Center.

Bishop did not attend that meeting, but Bob Adair, who was one of eight church deacons, confirmed that Bishop was no longer the pastor there.

Although he and other church leaders declined to elaborate, the church board of business management issued its five paragraph statement that went on to say: “the action of child molestation and abuse is a violation of God’s law and man’s law.”

“We do not condone, excuse, cover up or tolerate in any way shape or form these actions by anyone, whether a member or officer of this church corporation,” it read.

“Violators will be dealt with expeditiously without regard to who they are, as according to the Scripture,” the statement said.

Former Pastor Pleads Guilty

After admitting to the rape of a young female family member, a former Martins Ferry pastor could spend decades in prison.

Peter Pilger, 36, of Warren, Ohio, pleaded guilty this week in Canton's Stark County Court of Common Pleas to one count of rape, one count of kidnapping, three counts of attempted rape and one count of gross sexual imposition. He will be sentenced Oct. 29 by Judge John G. Haas.

On Thursday, Assistant Prosecutor Lori Curd said Pilger faces three to 10 years on the rape count, while each count of attempted rape could result in a sentence of two to eight years. The guilty plea on the kidnapping charge carries a one- to five-year sentence.

Pilger served from 1999-2003 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Martins Ferry. He was installed April 6 as the pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Massillon, Ohio, after serving from 2003-2008 at a New Albany, Ohio, church.

Bishop Elizabeth Eaton of Northeastern Ohio Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Churches in America said Pilger was placed on administrative leave when the allegations against him were made. After Pilger refused to resign his post, the congregation voted to terminate his call.

The allegations against Pilger were made by the now 12-year-old victim in a sleepover confession, according to reports. Her friends encouraged the girl to tell her mother of the abuse. Pilger was arrested July 3 on allegations he abused the girl over the course of as many as six years.

Youth leader arrested

HENDRY COUNTY, Fla. - A Church Youth Leader was arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with two teenage parishioners. Authorities say the victims are 14 and 15-year-old girls.

It happened at the La Belle Church of God in La Belle.

The suspect is 26-year-old Edwin Smith, more commonly known as Nathan-- which is Smith's middle name.

Smith, who is married with children, was the interim youth leader at the church. Tonight, he's currently in jail.

According to the Hendry County Sheriff's report, Smith admitted he exposed himself and allowed a 14-year-old teenage parishioner to inappropriately touch him.

Smith told deputies the incident happened inside his church office.

In addition to alleged 14-year-old victim, sheriff's deputies say there is also a 15-year-old victim.

The 15-year-old girl's mother found out about the alleged incidents and called police.

According to the Sheriff's Report, Smith admitted to having sex with the 15-year-old girl in his car. He told deputies it was consensual.

Edwin Smith is being held on $175,000 bond. He's being charged with lewd and lascivious battery, sexual activity with a minor older than 12, and fondling a minor older than 12.

Smith's wife is the daughter of the Senior Pastor at the La Belle Church of God. Phone calls to the church weren't returned. But they did release a statement saying:

"The La Belle Church of God is deeply saddened by recent allegations of sexual misconduct committed by its interim youth leader. The Hendry County Sheriff's Office is currently conducting an investigation, which has been both thorough and professional in scope. The Church, is of course, acting responsibly and fully cooperating with the Sheriff's Office in its investigation.

We are still learning the details of the allegations. Like all in the La Belle community, we are anxiously awaiting the findings of the investigation.

In the meantime, our thoughts and prayers are with all of the individuals and their families affected by these allegations."

~ La Belle Church of God

Church music director arrested for online soliciting

HAMILTON TWP. — A Hamilton church director was trying to meet here Monday to have sex with who he thought was a teenage boy he met online, police said.

Charles Andy Garitson, 23, a Park Avenue United Methodist Church music director, was arrested and charged with importuning and attempted unlawful sexual contact with a minor by Hamilton Twp. police. He was released on his own recognizance.

Warren County Court Judge Don Oda rescheduled Garitson's case during an appearance on Tuesday, Sept. 30, until 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, where he will have a preliminary hearing regarding his application to be represented by a public defender, court officials said.

His arrest came after an undercover investigation in which officers were posing online as juveniles. Police said Garitson, of Britton Lane in Monroe, solicited sexual contact with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old male. He was met by undercover officers instead.

Pastor Barbara Dafler of the Park Avenue United Methodist Church said she would not talk about Garitson's arrest.

However, her blog entry on the church's Web site Tuesday, Sept. 30, read as follows: "Our music leader, Andy, is facing some serious consequences because of a choice he made yesterday. Please continue to keep him and his family in your prayers. Many people (including other churches) will be watching Park Ave. to see how we handle ourselves during this time. It is important that we live and act as Christ has instructed us."

Besides serving as music director for the church, Garitson also served as orchestra director for a number of theater companies in the area where juvenile actors perform.

Hamilton Twp. police said they are investigating whether he had inappropriate sexual contact with other juveniles.

Garitson, a former trombone player in Monroe Local Schools marching band, also helped at the district's pre-band and band camp this summer, said Monroe Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli.

Lolli said the district sent a note home Tuesday, Sept. 30, to parents whose children are members of the 33-unit marching band to let them know if they had any concerns to contact us immediately.