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Category: Black Collar Crime

Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Youth Pastor Charles Willoughby III Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing Church Girl

Bruce Gerencser 3 Comments
Charles Willoughby III

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.

Charles Willoughby III, a youth pastor at New Life Worship Center in Norfolk, Virginia, was convicted on charges of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. He was sentenced to seven years in prison.

The United States Attorney’s Office reports:

A federal judge convicted a Norfolk man today on charges of traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Charles Willoughby III, 39, served as a youth group leader at New Life Worship Center (NLWC) in Norfolk. From 2006 to 2012, Willoughby routinely groomed minor teenage girls who were part of the church’s youth program in order to attempt to sexually abuse them. On June 26, 2012, Jane Doe, who was then 15 years old, and other youth group members boarded a chartered bus from NLWC to travel to Georgia for a national church youth group conference. Willoughby served as one of the chaperones. While on the bus there, Willoughby forced Jane Doe to engage in a sexual act. Jane Doe did not disclose the abuse until 2018, and other victims were identified after that disclosure. 

Willoughby faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison when sentenced on April 19, 2023. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Virginian-Pilot added:

A Norfolk man was sentenced Wednesday to seven years in prison for traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Charles Willoughby III, 39, was a youth group leader at New Life Worship Center in Norfolk.

According to court documents, from 2006 to 2012, Willoughby routinely groomed minor teenage girls who were part of the church’s youth program in an attempt to sexually abuse them.

On June 26, 2012, a then-15-year-old girl, referred to as “Jane Doe” in filings, and other youth group members boarded a chartered bus from the worship center to travel to Georgia for a national church youth group conference. Willoughby served as one of the chaperones.

While on the bus there, Willoughby forced Jane Doe to engage in a sexual act. Jane Doe did not disclose the abuse until 2018; other victims were identified after that.

The church was made aware of Willoughby’s crimes and did nothing. Ministry Watch reports:

Court records allege that from 2006-2012, Willoughby routinely groomed female minors who were part of the church’s youth program with the intent to abuse them sexually.

One of the survivors, named “Jane Doe” in the report, was 13 years old when her family began attending New Life. Willoughby was 27.

Willoughby developed a trusting relationship with Doe and had one-on-one conversations with her about boys. He was affectionate with her and would give her long hugs. In addition, Willoughby often took her out for ice cream and once treated her to a “practice date” to show her how a boy should date her in the future.

The charges say that in June 2012, the youth group took an overnight charter bus to the Youth Forward Conference in Atlanta. Willoughby, who sat at the back of the bus, texted the girl to come to the back “to talk.” Willoughby then inappropriately touched her and forced her to engage in a sex act.

The following morning, Doe confronted Willoughby about the incident. The report says Willoughby told her she must have wanted to participate in the act since she didn’t move away.

Doe was 15 years of age.

She did not disclose the abuse until 2018 after a conversation with her mom about the “Me Too” movement. Doe told her parents, who confronted Willoughby in a phone call. The phone call was recorded, unbeknownst to Willoughby. During the call, he apologized.

Doe’s parents took the recording to Bishop Carl Vann Sr., the senior pastor of New Life. Vann invited the family to a meeting where he said he would reprimand and “restore” Willoughby. At the meeting, Willoughby confessed and apologized. Doe and her family stopped attending New Life and claimed they never received any update or check-in from Vann or the church.

Three other youth group members, all female minors, testified at the bench trial last week that Willoughby sexually assaulted them. Prosecutors said the multiple testimonies demonstrate Willoughby’s pattern and practice of sexual abuse of minors and his intent before, during, and after the Atlanta trip assault.

New Life claims to have reprimanded Willoughby after the Jane Doe incident. He is not listed or referenced on New Life’s website.

Willoughby committed felony sex crimes, and his pastor, Bishop Carl Vann Sr, did what, exactly? He reprimanded him! I hope Bishop Vann is prosecuted for failing to report Willoughby’s crimes.

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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Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Pastor Bobby Smith Accused of Numerous Sex Crimes

Bruce Gerencser 1 Comment
pastor bobby and lashawn smith

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.

Bobby Cornealius Smith, pastor of New Beginnings Ministries in Las Vegas, Nevada, stands accused of eleven felony charges, including nine counts of sexual assault, one count of attempted sexual assault, and one count of child abuse, neglect, or endangerment. His wife, Lashawn Nicole Smith, was also indicted on two felony charges including sexual assault and child abuse, neglect, or endangerment.

Channel 8 reports:

A Las Vegas pastor is accused of sexually assaulting three women including one family member and two women who he referred to as “God daughters.” 

Bobby Cornealius Smith, 46, was indicted by a grand jury for eleven felony charges, including nine counts of sexual assault, one count of attempted sexual assault, and one count of child abuse, neglect, or endangerment.

A woman identified as his wife, Lashawn Nicole Smith was also indicted on two felony charges including sexual assault and child abuse, neglect, or endangerment.

Bobby Smith is the pastor of New Beginnings Ministries and his wife is the “First Lady” of the church, according to the church’s website.

A family member testified in front of the grand jury that Smith forced her to use sex toys multiple times starting when she was 17 years old and a senior in high school, according to transcripts obtained by the 8newsnow.com Investigators. She said that Bobby Smith told her, “God is telling me that it is important for you to do this,” and insisted that the sex toys would prevent her from ruining her life and giving into “urges.” Smith later showed her how to use the toy and would tell her to meet him at hotels, she said.

The woman testified that she had reported what had happened to Lashawn Nicole Smith who failed to contact the police.

A second woman who said that she was a member of the church testified that Bobby Smith begged her to perform oral sex on him. He blocked a stairway and dropped his pants, she said. She testified that she panicked and eventually pushed him off.

A third woman testified that her family became involved with New Beginnings Ministries when she was 16 years old. At 17, she said, Bobby Smith texted her a photo of a sex toy. She told him that she did not want to use it. Bobby Smith later brought up the sex toy again, telling her that sex toys are not a sin and that he wanted to show her how to use one, she said.

The woman said that Bobby Smith would then use the sex toy on her at various locations including at least two Las Vegas area hotels. After telling Smith’s wife, the woman says she received a text message from Bobby Smith stating “…you guys want to paint me to be like this monster or like I’m doing something wrong when I’m just trying to help you all.”

She said that Bobby Smith requested a meeting and when she showed up, he and his wife were both there and he told her to perform sexual acts with his wife.

North Las Vegas Police started investigating the allegations against the pastor after the first alleged victim made a report, according to Detective Ashley Bertschy. She had learned that the third alleged victim had reported what had happened in 2014 and that she had been examined by a nurse at University Medical Center who also collected a rape kit. Bertschy testified that Las Vegas Metro Police had closed the case and she reopened it.

Police executed a search warrant at the Smiths’ home in North Las Vegas and found over 20 sex toys, according to Bertschy.

A jury trial is set for Bobby Smith on July 17. Jail records show that he remains in the Clark County Detention Center. His bond is set at $225,000.

Lashawn Nicole Smith is currently out of custody. No trial date has been set for her.

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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Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Pastor Daryl Hayes Accused of Sexually Exploiting Minors

Bruce Gerencser 2 Comments
pastor daryl hayes

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.

Daryl Hayes, pastor of Berry’s Chapel Church of Christ in Franklin, Tennessee, stands accused of sexually exploiting a minor.

The Williamson Herald reports:

Members of the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force recently arrested Daryl Hayes, 50, following a Williamson County Grand Jury indictment for six counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

The WCSO-ICAC Task Force began investigating Hayes after receiving a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concerning the upload of child sex abuse material from a local church’s internet connection, where Hayes was the lead pastor. The investigation led to a search warrant being executed at the church and Hayes’ residence.  

Neither Hayes’ family, nor the church where he was pastor — Berry’s Chapel Church of Christ in Franklin — were aware of Hayes’ activities. The church was fully cooperative and Hayes was terminated from his position immediately. Nothing in this investigation led detectives to believe there were any local child victims, or any additional concerns for the public.

WSMV-4 adds:

Church members and neighbors are in shock after the pastor of a Franklin church was arrested for sexually exploiting minors.

The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office said Daryl Hayes, 50, was charged with six counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. He is the lead pastor at Berry’s Chapel Church of Christ. He is accused of using the church’s internet connection to upload images of child sex abuse online.

“Oh, my goodness. Are children safe anywhere?” Debby Leddy, a church member who lives near the church, said.

Leddy is just one of many Berry’s Chapel church members confused about the pastor’s arrest.

“It’s very shocking because we don’t know where we can have our kids safe, and we don’t know people as well as we thought we did,” Leddy said.

After getting a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Williamson County investigators said they searched Berry’s Chapel and found Hayes had had been uploading child sex abuse pictures using the church’s internet connection.

“When I was growing up, my father was a pastor and never did you hear anything like this, and to do this so obviously on the church’s wi-fi,” Leddy said.

To make matters worse, members who spoke to WSMV4 –who didn’t want to go on camera– said Hayes had access to dozens of children.

“I often did programs for the preschool that they have there and they’re so many children there,” Leddy said.

When other church leaders found out what happened, they said they fired Hayes immediately.

“I hope that they get him the help he needs and some sort of guidance because definitely something has to be wrong,” Leddy said.

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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Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Pastor Bicente Velasquez Morales Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexual Battery

Bruce Gerencser 3 Comments
bicente velasquez morales

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.

In 2019, Bicente Velasquez Morales, pastor of House of Restoration Ministry in Sarasota, Florida, was arrested and charged with repeatedly sexually abusing a six-year-old girl.

The Herald-Tribune reported at the time:

A Sarasota pastor was arrested Friday evening after allegedly sexually abusing a 6-year-old girl.  

Bicente Velasquez Morales, 43, was arrested around 7:10 p.m. Friday on a felony charge of sexual battery of a victim under 12.

Detectives say on Thursday, the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office received a report from the girl’s mother that Morales sexually abused her daughter. The mother reported the incident after detectives say her daughter told her about the abuse.

The child said Morales digitally penetrated her on three separate occasions, according to documents from the Sarasota Police Department. In one of the alleged occasions, Morales stopped sexually abusing her because it was time to get ready for church, the victim was cited saying in documents. 

Morales is a pastor at the House of Restoration Ministry in Sarasota. 

Morales was sentenced to life in prison today.

The Herald-Tribune reports:

A Sarasota pastor was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday after he was arrested in July 2019 when the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office received a report that he’d sexually abused a 6-year-old child, according to a news release in the case.

Twelfth Judicial Circuit State Attorney Ed Brodsky announced Bicente Velasquez Morales, 47, was convicted on April 19 of sexual battery upon a child less than 12 years of age, and lewd and lascivious molestation upon a child less than 12 years of age. Morales was sentenced to life in prison on both charges, according to the release.

Previous Sarasota Herald-Tribune reporting stated detectives with Manatee County Sheriff’s Office were notified by the child’s mother that Morales sexually abused her daughter.

The news release stated that Morales “used his position of trust within this family to take advantage of a 6-year-old child,” but the victim was taught which parts of her body shouldn’t be touched by anyone other than a doctor. She confided in her brother and mother that she’d been touched inappropriately. Her mother then alerted the police.

The child told her mother that she’d been assaulted three times by Morales, stating the pastor had “digitally touched and penetrated her” while at Morales’s home, according to the affidavit in the case.

At the time, Morales was a pastor at the House of Restoration Ministry in Sarasota, according to previous reporting.

“Taking advantage of a little girl is never acceptable and will not be tolerated in our community,” said Assistant State Attorney Kate Metz, who prosecuted the case. Metz praised Detective Maria Llovio’s efforts, stating the detective conducted a thorough investigation and left no stone unturned.

“Based on the strength of the victim’s testimony, the defendant’s own statements, and the investigation by Detective Llovio, we were able to hold this defendant accountable and get a dangerous, manipulative predator off the street,” Metz said.

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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Black Collar Crime: We Must Not Give the Dalai Lama a Pass

Bruce Gerencser 11 Comments
dalai lama

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.

Many in the secular community respect and admire the Dalai Lama. I know I did. The Dalai Lama is the fourteenth spiritual leader of the Yellow Hat school of Tibetan Buddhism. Recently, the Dalai Lama was in the news for inappropriately asking a young boy to suck his tongue.

Video Link

The Associated Press reports:

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama apologized Monday after a video showing him kissing a child on the lips triggered criticism.

A statement posted on his official website said the 87-year-old leader regretted the incident and wished to “apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused.”

The incident occurred at a public gathering in February at the Tsuglagkhang temple in Dharamsala, where the exiled leader lives. He was taking questions from the audience when the boy asked if he could hug him.

The Dalai Lama invited the boy up toward the platform he was seated on. In the video, he gestured to his cheek, after which the child kissed him before giving him a hug.

The Dalai Lama then asked the boy to kiss him on the lips and stuck out his tongue. “And suck my tongue,” the Dalai Lama can be heard saying as the boy sticks out his own tongue and leans in, prompting laughter from the audience.

While the Dalai Lama quickly apologized, others defended his behavior. One defender blamed China for the Dalai Lama’s behavior being so widely reported in the news. To that, I say, were the reports true? Did the Dalai Lama do what reporters say he did? He quickly apologized, so we know he did it. Sure, China is going to use this to discredit the Dalai Lama. That’s the world we live in.

Another defender suggested that the Dalai Lama was so pure and innocent that he couldn’t have done anything inappropriate. While the Dalai Lama is a humble, peaceful man, he is also shrewd and wise to the things of the world. I doubt that he is “innocent.”

And finally, one defender, Penpa Tsering, the political leader of Tibet’s government-in-exile said, I kid you not:

[The Dalai Lama displayed] “innocent grandfatherly affectionate demeanor.”

“His holiness has always lived in sanctity, (following the life of) a Buddhist monk, including celibacy. His years of spiritual practice have gone beyond sensorial pleasures.

His holiness is now being labeled all kinds of names.”

Grandfatherly behavior? To the grandfathers who read this site, have you ever asked one of your grandchildren to suck your tongue? Of course not.

Tsering saying the Dalai Lama is “beyond sensorial pleasures” is laughable. None of us is beyond sensorial pleasures. I don’t care how spiritual someone might be, he is still a human with all the desires humans have.

Newsweek’s Anushay Hossain had this to say:

We in the West love to romanticize symbols and people from the East. From India’s Mahatma Gandhi to Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar to South Africa’s Nelson Mandela to the Dalai Lama. And in most cases, rightfully so. These are incredible humans who have dedicated their lives to liberate their countries, fight for their beliefs, for the rights of their people.

But despite all the glory, respect, and worship we place upon them, it’s important not to do so blindly and to remember that at the end of the day, they are also just people. They are human beings. And the Dalai Lama just gave us all a great lesson in how you can be a revered person, and still be in the wrong.

On Monday, footage of the Dalai Lama kissing a young boy on the lips and then prompting the child to “suck my tongue” during a public event went viral online. The young Indian boy had come forward to pay his respects during a temple event. Some clips garnered more than five million views. The Dalai Lama’s representatives had a swift response to a clip that seemed odd at best, abusive at worst.

“A video clip has been circulating that shows a recent meeting when a young boy asked His Holiness the Dalai Lama if he could give him a hug. His Holiness wishes to apologize to the boy and his family, as well as his many friends across the world, for the hurt his words may have caused. His Holiness often teases people he meets in an innocent and playful way, even in public and before cameras. He regrets the incident.”

….

While it’s great that His Holiness “regrets” asking a child to “suck my tongue,” this “apology” is not only insufficient and offensive but feels more like the Dalai Lama is gaslighting rather than apologizing.

….

But the tricky thing is that when people we respect and revere are accused of predatory behavior they still hold a lot of power. And that influence is something they can and do use to shield them from not only accusations, but any kind of accountability.

….

While some people still prefer to look the other way, or remain in deep denial, when it comes to the possibility that religious and spiritual leaders could be abusing children, history has a very clear pattern. We like to sweep everything under the rug, defend whoever their holiness may be, and act like everything’s fine. Isn’t that what we did and still do when it comes to the Catholic Church and their endless child abuse allegations—including new revelations in Baltimore?

But now it is 2023 and we are more aware of the sexual predators in positions of influence than our parents or even their parents were. We are more open about the need to protect our children and what messages we can give them, so they know how to protect themselves, too.

We are at a pivotal point where we either teach our kids not only about consent, but about how predators are everywhere—even in our religious houses of worship, no matter the faith. Child sexual abuse happens in every religion.

Even if we want to give the Dalai Lama the benefit of the doubt, we can’t. Just watch the video and pay attention to how it makes you feel. It looks wrong and feels wrong because it is wrong. And as a mother of two young girls, I know we must talk to our children regularly about boundaries, consent, and predators.

Because they are everywhere.

Is the Dalai Lama a sexual predator? I don’t know. This could be a one-off, but my gut tells me it is not. The Dalai Lama’s behavior deserves careful scrutiny, but I doubt that will happen. Does this mean he is an evil man? That’s for others to decide, especially the Tibetan people. For me personally, this is a poignant reminder that my heroes have clay feet; that the moment I idealize and glorify someone, it is only a matter of time before I learn that he or she is just as frail and fallible as the rest of us are.

I will frequently receive emails and social media messages from people gushing over my writing. I typically thank such people for their kind words, but then I say to them: trust me, I will disappoint you one day! 🙂 I have had people send me glowing emails about my writing on Evangelical Christianity. Some of them even start donating money via PayPal or Patreon. And then, I write about this or that political issue, revealing my uber-progressive, socialist, pacifistic beliefs. All of a sudden, all their “love” turns into outrage. They cancel their monthly donations and let me know they can’t believe I am a _________ (fill in the blank with any of the numbers of labels I wear). Such is life. I am, who I am. (I lost several readers recently because they don’t like my support of transgender people.)

Years ago, I revered Gandhi and Mother Teresa. Over time, I learned that my idealized view of each of them could not be sustained. In the case of Mother Teresa, thanks to Christopher Hitchens and several other authors, I learned she was a despicable, deceitful human being. Yet, Mother Teresa is still revered by Catholics and others worldwide. I suspect that this will be the case for the Dalai Lama too.

I can’t unwatch the Dalai Lama’s inappropriate behavior with a young Tibetan boy. This is no different from me learning that Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) megachurch pastor Bob Gray of Jacksonville — one of the best preachers I ever heard preach — was accused of French kissing school girls; that he had been doing so for years. Gray was arrested for his crimes but died before he could be prosecuted. Will the Dalai Lama face investigation and, if warranted, criminal prosecution? I suspect we all know that the answer to that question is no. When societies deify religious figures, it becomes almost impossible to see the figures as fallible (and even criminal) human beings. Think of how many times people have come to this site to defend this or that preacher accused of inappropriate sexual behavior. No amount of evidence will change their minds. To this day, countless Evangelicals believe disgraced IFB preacher Jack Hyles was the greatest preacher since the Apostle Paul. They cannot and will not accept the fact that Hyles was not the man they thought he was. I suspect this will be exactly how many people across the world will continue to treat the Dalai Lama.

How has the Dalai Lama’s recent inappropriate behavior affected your view of the man? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

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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Update: Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Pastor Naasón Joaquín García Sentenced to Sixteen Years in Prison for Sex Crimes

Bruce Gerencser 1 Comment
naason joaquin garcia

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.

Naasón Joaquín García, pastor of La Luz del Mundo, a Mexico-based Evangelical church with branches in the U.S. claiming more than one million members, was charged in 2019 with human trafficking, child pornography production, and child rape.  (Church website)

KTLA-5 reported at the time:

García, 50, faces 26 felony counts that range from human trafficking and production of child pornography to rape of a minor. The charges detail allegations involving three girls and one woman between 2015 and 2018 in Los Angeles County.

The fundamentalist Christian church, whose name translates to The Light of the World, was founded in 1926 by García’s grandfather. It has been the subject of child sex abuse allegations for years but authorities in Mexico have never filed criminal charges. It has more than 15,000 churches in 58 countries, according to its website. The church’s followers must adhere to a strict moral code in exchange for the promise of eternal salvation.

García — who was a minister in Los Angeles and other parts of Southern California before becoming the church’s leader — coerced the victims into performing sex acts by telling them that refusing would be going against God, authorities said. He allegedly forced the victims, who were members of the church, to sexually touch themselves and each other. One of his co-defendants also allegedly took nude photographs of the victims and sent the pictures to García.

García told one of the victims and others in 2017, after they had completed a “flirty” dance wearing “as little clothing as possible,” that kings can have mistresses and an apostle of God cannot be judged for his actions, the complaint states.

La Luz del Mundo and Garcia have faced previous allegations of sexual misconduct.

David Correa, a spokesman from the headquarters of La Luz del Mundo in Guadalajara, Jalisco, said in a phone call:

We categorically deny those false accusations. We know him personally and he is an honorable and honest man.

In 2022, La Luz del Mundo was sentenced to sixteen years in prison for his crimes.

Marca reported:

The leader of the Light of the World Church, Mexican Naasón Joaquín García, was sent to a state prison in Kern County, California, to continue his sentence of 16 years and 8 months, after he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual abuse of minors. The religious leader pleaded guilty on June 6 to sexual assault of three underage victims.

This prison is located in Delano, a little more than 150 miles north of Los Angeles. He was incarcerated in the Central Men’s Jail in that city, until Wednesday when he was transferred.

….

The sentence is the highest that could be imposed on him after an agreement reached with the California District Attorney’s Office. He avoided going to trial on 19 criminal charges including statutory rape, possession of child pornography and human trafficking, which would have placed him in a position to be sentenced to life in prison.

Naasón Joaquín García has been in prison since June 3, 2019, when he was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport with two of his assistants, who were also implicated in the case. This period between when he was arrested and sentenced will be considered as part of the sentence against him.

The leader of the Light of the World Church, Mexican Naasón Joaquín García, was sent to a state prison in Kern County, California, to continue his sentence of 16 years and 8 months, after he pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual abuse of minors. The religious leader pleaded guilty on June 6 to sexual assault of three underage victims.

….

The conviction against Naasón Joaquín García accelerated a civil lawsuit filed by Sochil Martin, a former member of the Light of the World Church.

In February 2020, she sued La Luz del Mundo and its leader for allegedly running a sex trafficking ring that economically exploited victims and sexually abused her since she was 16 years old.

The Light of the World Christian church has its international headquarters in Guadalajara, Mexico, was founded in 1926 by Aaron Joachim, grandfather of Naason. It is currently present in 60 countries and claims to have up to 5 million followers.

After the arrest of its leader, hundreds of followers protested, claiming that Naasón Joaquín was unjustly accused, despite the testimonies and evidence presented against him, which forced him to reach an agreement with the California District Attorney’s Office, in order to receive a lesser sentence.

Bustle added:

Meanwhile, five women, known as Jane Does, who said García sexually abused them between 2015 and 2019, filed a civil lawsuit in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, seeking damages against the church. They also named García, his wife and children, and three other women in the suit, who they said either knew about the abuse or helped groom them for García. According to the suit, the victims said they were “routinely coerced” since they were children to believe that García’s wishes were direct orders from God and that if they didn’t obey, it would “lead to catastrophic consequences including, but not limited to, eternal damnation, unspeakable tragedy, infertility, and countless other harms.”

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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Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Filmmaker Steve Greisen Pleads Guilty to Criminal Online Solicitation with a Minor

Bruce Gerencser 2 Comments
Steve-Greisen

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.

Steve Greisen, a notable Evangelical moviemaker and contemporary Christian music (CCM) artist, pleaded guilty to a criminal attempt to commit online solicitation with a minor, a class 4 felony.

The Gazette reports:

An El Paso County man and Christian filmmaker who was arrested in September for allegedly attempting to pay an undercover El Paso County detective to engage in sexual acts with a 14-year-old girl entered a plea agreement in court Tuesday.

Stephen Paul Greisen, 68, pleaded guilty to a criminal attempt to commit online solicitation with a minor, a class 4 felony. Within his agreement, Greisen agreed to register as a sex offender in the state of Colorado, and five years in the state’s Sex Offender Intensive Supervision Program (SOISP). 

According to the arrest affidavit, Greisen made contact with the undercover officer on Sept. 7, and despite being informed twice that the age of the girl was 14, he agreed to pay $170 for sex.

“K, I can be there in 20 min?” Greisen wrote to the detective to confirm. 

After arriving at the address given by the undercover detective, Greisen was arrested by authorities with $180 in his pocket, according to the affidavit.

Court records show Greisen was originally arrested on suspicion of three charges: inducement of child prostitution, patronizing a prostituted child and sexual assault on a child. He was released from El Paso County jail after posting the $35,000 bond. 

Greisen operated two Christian film companies in Monument, Exploration Films Distribution, and Reel Productions, LLC, and is considered a “veteran of the Jesus movement’s 1970s-era music scene,” according to an article from Ministry Watch. 

Ministry Watch adds:

Steve Greisen, a Christian filmmaker and a veteran of the Jesus movement’s 1970s-era music scene, pled guilty Wednesday in Colorado Springs to a criminal attempt to solicit online sex with a minor.

In a plea deal, Greisen agreed to register as a sex offender and spend five years in Colorado’s supervision program for sex offenders. He had been arrested on charges for inducement of child prostitution, patronizing a prostituted child and sexual assault on a child, with a possible prison sentence of 12 years.

The plea deal was reported by The Gazette. Greisen’s attorney, Richard Bednarski, did not respond to MinistryWatch’s requests for information and comment.

As MinistryWatch reported, Greisen was arrested Sept. 7 after arranging to pay an undercover detective $170 to have sex with a 14-year-old girl. The arrest came amid efforts by local and federal officials to “identify and arrest child sexual predators.”

Greisen, who is 68, runs two Christian film companies from Monument, a small town north of Colorado Springs: Exploration Films Distribution, which says it manages distribution of over 400 films; and Reel Productions, which released “First Love,” the acclaimed film on the early years of the contemporary Christian music movement, as well as biblical the biblical thriller, “The Mystery of The Ark of The Covenant.”

….

He was a singer for the 1970s Christian band, The Family, which toured with Second Chapter of Acts in 1976. In 1978 he married Second Chapter’s Nellie Ward, and for the next decade he served as that group’s tour director.

Greisen had been involved with Christian ministries both in Colorado Springs and around the country. He was also involved in founding and leading Holy Smokes, a national movement of small groups of mostly men who gather for “Faith, Friendship, Fine Tobacco & Drink.” Though not a formal, legal entity, Holy Smokes has more than 5,000 members in a Facebook group with the goal of “deconstructing harmful theology and building beloved community one cigar at a time.”

In the past, Greisen had been featured in videos and podcasts by ministries including Summit Ministries, the Colson Center, and Moody Audio. Those resources, along with Greisen’s Holy Smokes podcasts, have been withdrawn without explanation.

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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Update: Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Youth Pastor Robert Shiflet Sentenced to Only 33 Months for Sex Crimes, Released Early for Good Behavior

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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.

In June 2020, Robert Shiflet, a youth pastor at Denton Bible Church in Denton, Texas from 1997-2002, was arrested and charged with child sex trafficking. Shiflet also worked at Liberty Christian School in Argyle from 2008 to 2010.

The Denton Record-Chronicle reported at the time:

A former Denton youth pastor who pleaded guilty on charges related to child sex trafficking will be sentenced in federal court on May 19 [2021], court records show.

Robert Shiflet, a Denton man, was arrested in June on four charges related to child sex trafficking. Shiflet initially pleaded not guilty to the four charges but later changed his plea to guilty on two charges of transporting minors across state lines for sexual activity. The other two charges were dismissed.

The incidents date back from 1997 to 2002, which overlapped with his time at Denton Bible Church. Authorities said he worked as a youth pastor in Little Rock, Arkansas during the time of the incidents and then later moved to Denton. He also worked at Liberty Christian School in Argyle from 2008 to 2010.

….

Shiflet changed his plea to guilty on Nov. 30. The penalty for transporting minors across state lines for sexual activity is up to 15 years in prison and up to three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, both parties agreed to a sentence of 27 to 33 months on each count to run concurrently, although the court can still determine the appropriate sentence. Shiflet would have to register as a sex offender upon release.

In 2021, Shiflet was sentenced to only 33 months in prison. The Denton Record-Chronicle reports:

 A former Denton youth pastor has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for crimes related to child sex trafficking from two decades ago.

Robert Shiflet, 51, was ordered Tuesday to serve 33 months in federal prison and must remain under federal supervision for the rest of his life once he’s released. Shiflet was indicted last year on charges relating to child sex trafficking and pleaded guilty in November 2020 to two of the charges.

….

“So I’m going to accept the plea agreement but not in any way, shape or form having anything to do with you or anything anybody has said positive about you,” U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky said in court, reported by the Democrat-Gazette. “But for them because they deserve some justice, even if it’s not the justice they or society should get completely.”

The newspaper reported the judge accepted the deal to help victims get some justice. The three victims at court Tuesday told the judge they would testify if the case moved to a jury trial, but said they preferred the 33-month sentence rather than risk a jury acquitting Shiflet.

“Thirty-three months is not justice but reading between the lines I have to believe the government has some concerns about this case if it went to the jury,” Rudofsky said. “I have a feeling that although these women have all said they would testify — which makes them more brave than you are on a single day of your life — they don’t want to and they want this to be done and that they are scared if this case goes to trial you will get off completely.”

According to the Democrat-Gazette, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Bryant said the potential guideline sentence may have been miscalculated, leading to the range of 27 to 33 months in the plea agreement to be so far under the guidelines.

“Unfortunately, we were wrong, but that was the agreement we reached based upon our understanding at that time,” Bryant said.

Federal authorities said Shiflet worked as a youth pastor in Little Rock, Arkansas, where the case was filed, at the time of the incidents before moving to Denton.

….

Shiflet was indicted on three counts of transporting minors across state lines to engage in illegal sexual activity and one count of coercing a minor to cross state lines to engage in illegal sexual activity. He pleaded not guilty in June 2020 but later reversed his plea in November 2020 to guilty of two counts of transporting.

“This defendant took advantage of his position of trust as a mentor to young people and instead used his power to isolate and sexually abuse them,” U.S. Attorney Hiland said in a news release at the time of the guilty plea. “This predatory behavior is never acceptable, but it is particularly disturbing when the offender is a youth pastor. Our office will continue to aggressively pursue those who commit these deplorable crimes.”

According to authorities, Shiflet led a group of eighth graders in May 1997 on a camping trip to Arkansas where he was able to isolate a 15-year-old girl and sexually assault her, telling her not to tell anyone. Shiflet was 27 years old at the time and a youth pastor in Denton.

….

 A 16-year-old girl reported that in 2002 that Shiflet, her youth pastor in Little Rock at the time, “engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with her.” One of the incidents was in the summer where he, 32 years old at the time, sexually assaulted her on a charter bus to Florida while on a youth group trip.

I said at the time, “yet another Evangelical pastor who escapes the full brunt of the law for his heinous crimes.” Adding insult to injury, Shiflet was released early from prison for good behavior.

Fox-4 reports:

The youth pastor found to have sexually abused 14 girls at Denton Bible Church and another church in Little Rock, Arkansas was released from prison early for good behavior.

Robert Shiflet was released from prison on January 11, 2023, after serving 25 months behind bars for repeatedly sexually assaulting two girls.

In June 2021, a federal judge sentenced Shiflet to 33 months in prison, as part of a plea agreement. At the time, the judge lamented the agreement was not for a longer prison term.

Shiflet’s victims say they did not receive notice of his early release from the U.S. Department of Justice for more than six weeks.

An email to the victims said that advance notice of his release was not possible because it was “immediate, and/or unexpected.”

Shiflet, 52, is now living in Weatherford, Texas where he is required to register as a sex offender. He will also be under supervision for life.

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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Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Youth Pastor Jeffrey York Accused of Sexually Assaulting a Child

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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.

Jeffrey York, a youth pastor at New Beginnings Community Church in Nipomo, California, stands accused of two counts of oral copulation by duress, two counts of lewd acts with a child under 14 with force, and other various charges.

The Tribune reports:

San Luis Obispo sheriff’s detectives arrested a former youth pastor suspected of ongoing child molestation in Nipomo between 2005 and 2008, a news release from the Sheriff’s Office said.

According to the release, Jeffrey Gene York, a 53-year-old Portland, Oregon, resident and former youth pastor at New Beginnings Community Church in Nipomo, allegedly “had contact with a male victim and had sexually assaulted him for years,” an investigation by the Sheriff’s Office found.

The investigation began in September 2022 when detectives received a report of the alleged molestation, the release said, after which a “comprehensive investigation” led to an arrest warrant. “At that time, York was believed to be living in Portland, Oregon,” the release said. “Detectives were in the process of apprehending York in Oregon when on (March 27), during routine patrol, South Station deputies located a vehicle registered to Jeffrey York out of Portland, Oregon, parked in the 600 block of El Camino Real in Arroyo Grande.”

Sheriff’s deputies contacted the detectives and advised that York was in Arroyo Grande, after which he was arrested and booked into County Jail on suspicion of two counts of oral copulation by duress and two counts of lewd acts with a child under 14, the release said, along with several other charges. York’s bail was set at $400,000.

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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Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Pastor Tyree Coleman Accused of Promoting Sex Trafficking and Rape

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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.

Tyree Coleman, founder and operator of Refuge Place in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been charged with the promotion of child sex trafficking, rape, promotion of human sex trafficking and two counts of intimidation. Another news report stated Coleman is an elder at Seven Pillars Faith Ministry.

Fox-59 reports:

An Indianapolis pastor who ran a non-profit to feed homeless people is now accused of rape and offering a 17-year-old $1000 to have sex with him.

Tyree Coleman, 43, is charged with the promotion of child sex trafficking, rape, promotion of human sex trafficking and two counts of intimidation.

According to court documents, a 17-year-old came forward in June 2022 and told police that Coleman offered to pay him to have sex with him.

The 17-year-old told police Coleman initially sent him $50 to buy new shoes. The teen told police that Coleman said he was bisexual and offered the teen $1,000 to either have sex with him or show him his genitals, according to court records.

Court documents reveal that after the teen came forward to police, they got a search warrant for Coleman’s cell phone and located several messages that showed Coleman was paying for sex along with nude photos of “young-looking males.”

The detective estimated the photos were of males ranging in age from 15 to their late 30s.

Police discovered that Coleman was the founder of Refuge Place Indy, which feeds homeless people in Indianapolis.

According to court documents, investigators believe Coleman was using donations to his non-profit to pay for sex acts.

During that investigation, police received a new complaint from a Logansport man who accused Coleman of raping him.

The man told officers he missed his bus in Indianapolis and was left stranded in the city. He later saw Coleman handing out clothing and food in Indianapolis and said Coleman offered him a room at his home, according to court records.

The victim told investigators that Coleman would pay him to perform oral sex and later agreed to have sex with Coleman. According to court documents, while the two were having sex the victim told Coleman to stop several times but Coleman refused.

The victim also told police that Coleman threatened to kill him if he had a sexually transmitted disease.

“My faith says this is what I’m supposed to do. I’m supposed to serve,” Coleman said during an interview with FOX59/CBS4 in 2019.

Coleman repeatedly made pleas on television and online for donations to Refuge Place Indy to support the homeless feeding. Court documents do not reveal how much of that money was used to pay for sex. 

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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Bruce Gerencser