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.
Marvin Mosely, the former pastor of God’s Missionary Church in Penns Creek, Snyder County, Pennsylvania, stands accused of sexually molesting three minor girls over a fifteen-year period. Mosely was also a pastor at several United Methodist congregations.
The former pastor of a church in Andreas was jailed Wednesday after being charged by West Penn Twp. police with indecent assault involving three juvenile girls between 2007 and 2012.
Marvin Leroy Mosley, 43, of 101 College Ave., Milroy, Mifflin County, was arraigned on two felony counts each of indecent assault of a person under the age of 13 and corruption of minors where the defendant is age 18 or above, and two misdemeanor counts of a person under the age of 16.
Mosley was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Andrew Serina, Orwigsburg, and committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post $100,000 straight cash bail.
Serina said Mosley is no longer a pastor at the United Methodist Church in West Penn Twp., but at the time of his arrest was serving at a church outside of Schuylkill County.
In paperwork filed with the court, Police Chief James Bonner said the charges stem from incidents that came to light on April 27 when a 26-year-old woman reported being sexually abused by “Pastor Marvin Mosley” from the time she was about 7 until she was about 15.
The woman said she knew Mosley from around 2003 when her parents became involved in God’s Missionary Church in Penns Creek. The woman said Mosley graduated from Penns View Bible Institute and was assigned to their church in 2003.
At one point in 2007, the woman said Mosley touched her inappropriately by putting his hands up under her dress.
Bonner said the woman also reported that two other girls relayed stories that they were assaulted by Mosley.
One was interviewed and reported Mosley having inappropriate contact with her starting when she was about 10.
On May 8, Bonner said, Mosley was interviewed and admitted touching the woman who reported the incident and said it began when he was about 28 and married. He also admitted touching the other two girls, Bonner said.
Bonner said Mosley said he had been married for about seven years at the time and did not know what sex was, adding he was “lost and unfulfilled.”
The chief said Mosley reported he had been touching the girls for a time span of 15 years and would go from one “to another.”
Bonner said Mosley said he would become sexually aroused when the girls walked into the room and that he did not think anything was wrong by touching them.
The defendant said he would cooperate with the investigation so the victims can get closure.
Court documents state the incident began with gestures such as Mosley pulling hair and tickling, and then led to him exposing and touching their private areas.
The affidavit says Mosley would often take the girls on four-wheeler rides in the woods where he would hug them and press his body against theirs.
Police say during an interview with Mosley, he admitted he did sexually assault the three victims for 15 years, switching from one girl to the other.
In the criminal complaint, Mosley told police when he was around the girls he felt a chemistry that he enjoyed and he was “too free with his hands”.
Mosley says he was starving for sex and he would get aroused when they would walk in the room and while playing with them, police say.
Mosley has been charged with indecent assault on a person less than 13 years of age, indecent assault on a person less than 16 years of age, and corruption of minors.
Bruce Gerencser, 66, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 45 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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OK reading between the lines, it seems that this guy never had comprehensive sex education in school – or he is flat-out lying. Lack of sex ed, along with repressive “purity culture” religious environments, can lead to sexual assault.
Obstacle–A lack of sex education creates victims. I know.
Even without sex ed, and living in a purity culture, I find it hard to believe that someone could be married for seven years and not know what sex is.
No “sex education” in the world can stop these sick freaks. Do you really need to be taught that abusing children is wrong??! It’s the RELIGION. Christians are responsible for so much damage in our society and so much damage to girls and women. Most pedophiles identify as christians. NOT atheists. Tax the damn churches and lock these freaks up for life. This creep got 6-23 months for destroying 3 women’s lives. And there are many more out there. And there will be many more in the future. He’s young. He’s got lots of time to abuse again and again.
ALL religions are evil. ALL. Look at what Israel is doing right now in the name of religion. Even tho it’s really about money, power, and land. But let’s pretend it’s about god.
He knew what sex was and he wasn’t unhappy with his sex life. He knew exactly what he was doing and thought his power and charm would protect him. He wanted power and control and loved the thrill he got from assaulting all of his victims. Then when caught, he turns to the “I am just a poor weak man who can’t help that these girls turn me on” BS so he can try to play the victim. And to top it off, he tries to position himself as a magnanimous caring man by “cooperating” so the victims can find “closure”. WTF. That alone show he doesn’t give one fuck about the victims. It’s just another attempt to maintain power over the victim.