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.
Dale Burbank, a worker at the Evangelical group home, Mustard Seed Ranch in Cookeville, Tennessee, stands accused of raping a child under his care.
A 65-year-old man who works at Mustard Seed Ranch (MSR) in Putnam County was arrested on the property Friday for allegedly raping a child who was in short-term care there, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO), on Feb. 20, the Department of Children’s Services notified the PCSO about a potential situation involving a child at MSR. The following day, investigators did a forensic interview, which gave them probable cause for a search warrant.
Around 8 p.m. the same day, PCSO investigators executed that search warrant at MSR on Kuykendall Road. There, they arrested 65-year-old Dale Burbank and charged him with statutory rape by an authority figure. Burbank used to live in Michigan, PCSO said. His bond is set at $70,000, and he has a court date on March 31, 2025.
In a statement released Saturday, Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris called the arrest a “bad, hopefully isolated incident that took place while a child was in a short-term care at this facility.”
“The Mustard Seed Ranch has been operating in our community since 2006,” Sheriff Farris said. “It is a highly respected Christian based Residential Licensed Child Care Agency, and it has helped many children in our community over the years.”
According to its website, MSR “is a community-supported, interdenominational Christian ministry designed to take children out of unsafe environments and into loving, nurturing homes.” They have three existing homes that are near capacity, the website said.
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen 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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I was at a family reunion a few years back and one of my cousin’s grandsons was standing in front of the campfire we had going. I looked at my cousin and asked how old her grandson was and she said 12. I looked at him and wondered how in hell does an adult look at some one that young and get a sexual thrill. And then I cried inside because I was 12 when it happened to me.
This is the kind of stuff Revival Fires continues to post. I delete most of them , but I thought I’d let readers know this piece of shit is still lurking in the shadows. Revival Fires loves prison rape porn and gross, disgusting scatological humor.
He was taken into the back store room and two big thugs that don’t shower took a dump in his mouth!
DALE: NOOOOOOO!!!!!!
RETCH!!!RETCH!!!!! (EXCESSIVELY VOMITS!🤮)
Remember, Bruce. Revival Liars is always praying that you’ll be “saved”..just like he is 👍..
That comment from RF is absolutely horrible. I had no idea he was quite this….base?…is that strong enough? I now see exactly why you delete his comments. The irony is I’ve no doubt he thinks he’s the one going to be saved and that the rest of us are doomed, yet what god would want this sick individual anywhere near?