The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
David Beckner, a former teacher at Gaylord Grace Baptist Christian School in Gaylord, Michigan, stands accused of sexually abusing a female student. The Gaylord Herald Times reports:
David Beckner, 51, of West Virginia was arraigned Thursday afternoon in 87th District Court on eight criminal sexual conduct charges for allegedly abusing a teen girl in 2006 and 2007 in Otsego County.
Brendan Curran, Otsego County prosecutor, said the official complaint by Michigan State Police was filed June 13 for sex offenses committed upon a teen in Otsego County.
“I have charged David Wayne Beckner (presently residing in West Virginia) with seven counts of CSC 3rd degree and one count of CSC 4th degree, for seven sexual penetrations and one touching of a minor child who was a student of Beckner’s at the time their relationship began,” Curran said in an email.
According to a Michigan State Police news release Thursday evening, Beckner resides in Morgantown, West Virginia, and turned himself in Thursday. The release also said Beckner worked for the Grace Baptist Church from September 2004 until June 2007 before moving out of state.
….
Brianna Kenyon, a former Grace Baptist student, alleges that Beckner abused her as a minor and has publicly shared her story.
“When I grew up in that church, we’re all so isolated from the real world that I always thought I was the only one in the world, let alone in my church, that had ever had anything sexual happen to them. I was so alone for years and years; it wasn’t until I was (into adulthood) that I realized it actually happens a lot.”
Kenyon, 29, said she reported Beckner years ago for criminal sexual conduct to police and to the school’s pastor, Jon Jenkins, in 2011.
In an email, Jenkins said, it would be “a favorable outcome if justice can be achieved for Brianna.” He said, “Grace Baptist Church has always, and continues to stand in favor of justice for the victim.”
Previous Herald Times Freedom of Information Act requests returned no reports from the pastor or church to police of the alleged abuse.
Kenyon said the prosecutor at that time opted to not pursue the case and it was dropped.
….
Early this year, Ruthy Nordgren, now an adult, shared her story with the Herald Times and others publicly.
Nordgren is also a former Grace Baptist student and teacher Aaron Willand was convicted in 2016 of abusing her in Washington state.Nordgren said she is also pursuing charges in Otsego County for abuse that she said happened when she was a student.
“And when Ruthy messaged me (about sharing publicly in the news), I thought, what could it hurt,” Kenyon said. “I couldn’t really get any justice for myself, and I figured if someone could be helped by my story and (they can see) here’s a girl that survived, and I do live a normal life and I do treat others well and I didn’t use this as a reason to be another monster.”
Grace Baptist Church is an Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) congregation.
According to the Gaylord Herald Times:
Beckner joins the growing list of people with ties to Grace Baptist Church and school who have been convicted or accused of sexually abusing minors in the last 17 years. Another teacher, a bus driver, youth conference guest speaker and former congregation members are among those already convicted or facing criminal sexual conduct charges.
Despite all of this, Jon Jenkins remains the pastor of Grace Baptist. Last May, Jenkins celebrated his thirty-third anniversary at the church. He has “much” to be grateful for. (That’s sarcasm, by the way.)
Aaron Willand story
that girl is the biggest liar. i know everything about this. yes their was sex but not till she was well into her 17 years almost 18 yes that was wrong because at 17 she is still a minor . she was really in love with mr beckner. and when the beckner family left and went to west virginia she could not stand it. if she was being abuses why in Gods name would you follow. but it is a female so it makes no since in a man trying to tell that it was not true .that is what happen just because she said it didn’t make it true. but in mi it does. she was out to destroy him so what did she do but go to police and guess what they said no then she heard of this woman so she got a pros that would listen to her lies .don’t wait till you hear what he has to say no just because she is a woman she don’t lie and just what i said just because she is a woman this man life was taken away from him. he plead because he knew he had sex with her at 17 almost 18. never been in trouble before this served his country with honors. and never done this again. it is because this is not what she made people think she had to make it as bad as possible. this man is a very good person and he was rail road. this judge made a sentence on lies and he did not like mr beckner he called him names in the court room, this is so wrong that a woman can say anything and the courts believe her no matter what.
So, he broke the law, having sex with a minor. He used his position power and authority to manipulate the girl. But, the abuser is a “good” man. The woman in question is a bad person, a predator, a whore, right? Can you not see how fucking warped your thinking is?
let me say this without using your garbage mouth. yes he did break the law but he did not manipulate her at all. they just got to close. and she is no baby she was old enough to say no and she didn’t this just happen there are girls her age that have a child already. but because he never left his wife she made up more lies then any one person could. oh by the way she follow him to west virginia. she was always wanted to be where he was. she even bought rubbers hoping he would as she said make love to her. but he knew he had done wrong and sent her back to mi and that is why this got where it is. you are as stupid as other people men have no word a woman can say lie after lie and they believe her hell with what the man says is wrong. you thing my mind is warped because i think woman tell lies to get even. she tried two times and they watched him for 4 years and question people all over that little town and no one found or saw him do any thing out of the way. so this man is not a criminal he just had sex with a girl that was almost 18 this happens more then we would like in this world but it was just a big mistake on his and her part . all you can do is just look one way you don’t know her but you believe her. you don’t know him and you don’t believe him . not once did you say ha maybe this woman is lying oh no she is a woman so in your old mind she is right but i know the truth .she told me how upset she was that he didn’t leave his wife. see i know first hand so as the bible says don’t judge God does that and he forgave this man many years ago. and don’t call me names just because i am the voice of the wrongful charged. oh yea ab out the other things at this church does not make this ,man guilty so if you go to that church can i say you are guilty no i can’t so just because he went there does not make him guilty. and let me tell you something else she went to him and ask him if she could come and live with them in mi and him and his wife let her no one wanted her i wonder why. so this is how it got so close this is not any way you think so until you know the truth don ‘t blame this man for it all there is enoung wrong to go around.
sigh Maybe you will see someday how horrible your blind defense of this man really is. One thing is certain, you have no understanding of power/authority dynamics. No surprise since IFB churches and pastors rob congregants of their ability to think and reason for themselves.
And let me add, you seemingly ignore the other abusive things that have taken place at Gaylord Grace Baptist Christian School and Grace Baptist Church. I suppose you think Jon Jenkins is a good man too (who fled to a new church after repeated scandals rocked Grace Baptist)? Yeah, we read the news, Sandra. Stop defending bad men.
Thank you for making me aware of Beckner’s plea and sentencing. I have written an updated post: http://brucegerencser.net/2020/09/black-collar-crime-ifb-school-teacher-david-beckner-pleads-guilty-sentenced-to-prison/
oh by the way which girl did you have sex with since you know longer believe in god and you where a man of god you have no room to talk about this man no room at all you are a piece of shit
Well aren’t you special Sandra.
cough Matthew 25:35-40 cough
Congratulations, Sandra! You just called Jesus a piece of shit. See you in nonexistent hell, O True Christ-Stain™.
How dare you use garbage talk ? I admit I had sex with one teen girl, and I was a pastor at time. Our fleshly desires took over and we fucked all night long.
Man, you finally got the truth out of me. And, the teen girl was my wife. We were virgins when we married.
So, thanks for besmirching my character and that of my wife.
as a pastor you should be praying not cursing for this it is something that should never have happen and you should be praying for him
Are you really that incurious and obtuse? I am a FORMER pastor — read my bio — and I am now an atheist. I will, however, pray to Loki for this weak, pathetic preacher.
Please stop with the fucking moralizing. I find it interesting that you are more offended by my language than you are a preacher having sex with a church teenager. Typical IFB thinking.
And besides, you said “shit.” Hypocrite. How dare you lecture me about language when you do the same.