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.
Nicole Marie Andrews, a volunteer youth worker at The Church at Canyon Creek in Austin, Texas and a teacher at Cedar Park Middle School, was arrested Tuesday and charged with the sexual assault of a child.
Kate Winkle and Brittany Glas, reporters for KXAN, write:
A former teacher in Leander Independent School District was arrested Tuesday on charges of having an improper relationship with a Vandegrift High School student whom she met at a church where she volunteered.
At the end of October, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office began investigating an alleged sexual assault and improper relationship involving Cedar Park Middle School’s sixth-grade teacher Nicole Marie Faires Andrews. She was arrested on Dec. 12 after authorities said she had an ongoing romantic relationship with a 16-year-old boy she met at The Church at Canyon Creek, where she was a volunteer youth administrator.
Records show Andrews, 31, started teaching English/Language Arts at Cedar Park Middle School in August of 2015. The district said she resigned on Nov. 6, 2017.
According to court documents, the boy admitted that Andrews had sexual contact with him 11 or 12 times, as well as sending a naked photo of herself, over the summer.
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The senior pastor of The Church at Canyon Creek, Monty Watson, said in a statement, “Our hearts go out to the victim and the family, and we ask for prayer for all involved. We are working with the authorities and fully cooperating with this investigation.”
Andrews has been charged with sexual assault of a child, which is a second-degree felony.
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.
Paul Pressler, best known for his instrumental roll in turning back the Southern Baptist Convention from its drift into liberalism, stands accused of sexually abusing a former office assistant. The assistant has filed a $1 million civil suit against Pressler, along with Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Paige Patterson, and First Baptist Church in Houston.
Adelle M. Banks, a reporter for Religions News Service, writes:
Paul Pressler, a key figure in the self-identified “conservative resurgence” in the Southern Baptist Convention in the late 1970s and early ’80s, is fighting a lawsuit by a former office assistant who alleges the onetime Texas appeals court judge sexually abused him over the course of several decades.
Gareld Duane Rollins Jr. filed the $1 million suit Oct. 18 in the District Court in Harris County.
The plaintiff, now in his 50s, claims he was abused by Pressler starting when he was in his midteens, continuing when he was hired as a “boy Friday” in the judge’s home office and ending around 2014 when Rollins was rearrested and imprisoned for driving while intoxicated.
In a court document responding to the claims, Pressler and his wife, Nancy, a co-defendant, “categorically deny each and every allegation.”
Pressler’s attorney, Ted Tredennick, said the suit’s claims cannot be taken seriously.
“Mr. Rollins is clearly a deeply troubled man, with a track record of multiple felonies and incarceration, and it is the height of irresponsibility that anyone would present such a bizarre and frivolous case,” according to a statement from Tredennick.
The 40-page suit describes sexual acts that allegedly occurred around the time Pressler enrolled Rollins in a Bible study at First Baptist Church in Houston. The suit says Pressler told Rollins he should consider the alleged rape “our secret, our freedom, no one but God would understand.”
Rollins’ attorney who filed the suit, Daniel Shea, is a Houston lawyer and former Catholic deacon who previously represented young men who alleged they were sexually abused by a seminarian who fled to his native Colombia after the charges arose. That case was settled in 2008.
Legal documents filed in the suit against Pressler, now in his 80s, contain letters he wrote on behalf of Rollins to a parole board reviewing his status after he was charged with forgery and driving under the influence. The suit says Rollins turned to drugs and alcohol—leading to multiple DUI arrests—as a response to the alleged abuse.
In one letter, Pressler mentions plans to employ Rollins after the younger man was granted parole and released from rehab.
The suit also names as defendants Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and its president, Paige Patterson, and Houston’s First Baptist Church, and claims they are liable for their professional, personal or denominational connections with Pressler.
The legal document also goes into the movement led by Pressler and Patterson starting in 1979 that turned the Southern Baptist Convention in a more conservative direction after deep theological battles. It claims the movement was focused on power, which the suit called “a key ingredient in the abuse of children and women.”
Mark Lanier, a Houston lawyer representing Patterson and his seminary, rejected the allegations, saying they are “riddled with errors and falsehoods.”
“We will diligently defend the fine reputation of Dr. Patterson and SWBTS in court,” he said, referring to the seminary.
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.
Dan Johnson, pastor of Heart of Fire Church in Louisville, Kentucky and a Kentucky state representative, has been accused of sexual assault by a female church member. As of the writing of this post, no criminal charges have been filed.
Bruce Schreiner and Adam Bean, reporters for the Associated Press, write:
A Republican state representative in Kentucky says a woman’s claim that he sexually assaulted her in 2013 has no merit and he will not resign.
Dan Johnson made the announcement at his church on Tuesday, a day after the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting published a story quoting a woman as saying Johnson had sexually assaulted her in his basement on Jan. 1, 2013. The woman, Maranda Richmond, was a member of the church, where Johnson is the pastor.
The Associated Press does not generally identify alleged sexual assault victims, but is doing so because Richmond has gone public with her story.
Police documents from an interview with Richmond in 2013 corroborate what she told the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting. But Johnson called her story “totally false.” He said it was part of a scheme to attack Republicans running for office, citing Alabama U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, who faces accusations from multiple women of sexual misconduct.
“I don’t think in every case women lie. Not at all. I think it is the season. Last election it seemed to be racism. This one seems to be sexual impropriety,” he said. “If the police or anyone involved had thought that this was a real case, don’t you think they would have pursued that? There is no way they would have let up if they thought there was something to it.”
Police documents obtained by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting show a detective closed the case because Richmond would not cooperate. Richmond denied this, saying she never once wanted to stop the investigation.
….
Johnson is listed as the bishop of Heart of Fire Church in Louisville. The church is known for its “gun choir,” which features Johnson and others holding guns while singing “Amazing Grace.” Johnson held a news conference Tuesday from the pulpit of his church. He began by leading his supporters in singing part of the Christmas carol “O Come All Ye Faithful.”
Richmond said she spent the night at Johnson’s home on New Year’s Eve 2012. She said she awoke a few hours after midnight to find Johnson standing over her. She said he put his hand down her pants and put his hand in her vagina, despite her begging him to stop. She said he eventually left and she slipped away early that morning before he woke up.
Johnson said he remembered that night, but he said “there was nothing that really happened.” Johnson’s wife, Rebecca Johnson, said Richmond was sleeping in the same bed as the couple’s daughter. Rebecca Johnson called the accusations “crazy.”
“She had a lot of issues in her life and we tried to be friendly with her, be a family close to her,” Rebecca Johnson said of Richmond. “I counseled her a lot, just like a daughter. I don’t know, I guess that didn’t go over real good.”
Johnson said he did not want to “blast” Richmond, adding he has “compassion for her” and he is “very sorrowful she is in this dark place in her life.”
But later, he added: “This woman is not my friend.”
“For this to be laid against me as an accusation is horrible,” he said. “I’m mad as can be. No one wants to be accused falsely.”
Update
A December 13, 2017 WDRB report says that Johnson was found dead, likely by his own hands.
Johnson posted the following to his Facebook wall:
The accusations from NPR are false GOD and only GOD knows the truth, nothing is the way they make it out to be. AMERICA will not survive this type of judge and jury fake news . Conservatives take a stand. I LOVE GOD and I LOVE MY WIFE, who is the best WIFE in the world,My Love Forever ! My Mom and Dad my FAMILY and all five of my kids and Nine grandchildren two in tummies and many more to come each of you or a total gift from GOD stay strong, REBECCA needs YOU . 9-11-2001 NYC/WTC, PTSD 24/7 16 years is a sickness that will take my life, I cannot handle it any longer. IT Has Won This Life . BUT HEAVEN IS MY HOME. “PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY, Only Three things I ask of you to do,if you love me is (1)blame no person,Satan is the accuser, so blame the Devil himself. (2) Forgive and Love everyone especially yourself .(3)most importantly LOVE GOD. P.S. I LOVE MY FRIENDS YOU ARE FAMILY ! GOD LOVES ALL PEOPLE NO MATTER WHAT
John Feit, a former priest at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen, Texas, was found guilty today of murdering a 25-year-old parishioner in 1960.
My San Antonio reports:
A former priest accused of killing a Rio Grande Valley beauty queen in 1960 was found guilty of murder with malice aforethought Thursday after a jury deliberated for about six hours.
John Feit, now 85, sat stone-faced and showed no emotion as he was convicted of killing Irene Garza, a 25-year school teacher, when he was 27 and serving as a fill-in priest in the Valley. Family members of the victim hugged each other after the verdict was read.
Garza was last seen going to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen where Feit heard her confession. Her body was found five days later in a canal. Autopsy results showed she had been raped while unconscious and died of asphyxiation, likely from suffocation.
Garza’s grisly killing during Holy Week 1960 haunted South Texas for decades and was the subject of a 48 Hours television special.
Feit’s conviction brings an end to one of the oldest cases in the Hidalgo County judicial system, but leaves unresolved allegations of a deal cut between the district attorney and church leaders to stop the investigation into Feit and avoid a scandal.
Today, The Kokomo Perspective released another episode in their ongoing coverage of the Temple Baptist Church sex scandal. Devin Zimmerman writes:
Both the Croddys and Temple Baptist Church have responded to the civil suit filed against them by Jane Doe, and a new venue might be selected for the case.
Both defendants in the case denied the allegations made by the unnamed female plaintiff in a civil suit filed in September. Doe sought damages for alleged sexual abuse she claimed to have endured at an early age at the hands of Donald Croddy and involves Temple Baptist Church and its pastor, Mike Holloway, in that she claimed to have been put under Croddy’s care by the pastor.
In the initial complaint, Doe claimed to have been sexually assaulted by Croddy while between the ages of 12 and 14 years old while living with him and his wife, Elfriede, in the early ‘90s.
The living situation, according to the suit, was suggested by Holloway in 1992 while Doe attended Temple Baptist Church via its bus ministry. Due to difficulty in attending church events and activities associated with Temple Christian School, which is operated by the church, the living situation allegedly was suggested so she could increase her attendance. Then, while living with the Croddys on weekends from 1992 to 1994, Doe claimed to have been sexually abused by Donald.
The suit partially hinges on whether Holloway knew of Donald’s tendencies, which the suit claims he was made aware of during a confrontation that involved similar allegations made by an individual in both Holloway and Donald’s presence.
However, both the Croddys, the church, and Holloway denied the allegations in their answers to the complaint, with the Croddys most recently filing their answer on Nov. 22.
Temple Baptist Church and Holloway’s initial response cited several affirmative defenses in the civil suit, including a claim that the statute of limitations bars Doe’s claims. The defendants also requested the action be tried by a jury.
The Croddys, in their response, sought dismissal of the case and also cited a statute of limitations in their affirmative defenses.
Additionally, a special judge was appointed to the case after a motion to change the venue of the case was filed in September. As a result, Rich Maughmer of Cass County was appointed; however, a second change of venue was filed on behalf of Doe on Nov. 30. As of press time, the second special judge had not been appointed.
….
In previous interviews and social media postings, the church has maintained the defense that Holloway sought council from the Christian Law Association (CLA), wherein he was encouraged to take the precautionary measure of restricting Donald from all activities involving children.
In a Facebook posting in April, Holloway wrote, “Since that decision and up to this present time, I have received no information indicating concern about Don’s behavior.”
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.
Tariq Ramadan, an Islamic scholar and professor at Oxford University, stands accused of sexually assaulting several women.
Carlotta Gall, a reporter for The New York Times, writes:
Tariq Ramadan, a renowned scholar of Islam, has taken a leave of absence from his teaching post at Oxford University after two women filed complaints that he sexually assaulted them in France.
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Mr. Ramadan, 55, a Swiss-born theologian and philosopher, is a professor of contemporary Islamic studies at the university and a senior research fellow at St. Antony’s, an Oxford college that focuses on international affairs.
The accusations have created a storm in Islamic and academic circles across Europe. Mr. Ramadan is a grandson of Hassan al-Banna, who founded the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt in the 1920s. He is the author of a dozen books in English on modern Islam and the Western world, and a familiar presence on television news shows and on social media.
Mr. Ramadan has said that the accusations are unfounded and has vowed to fight the cases in court. He has filed a defamation suit in Paris against one of his accusers, the French activist and author Henda Ayari.
Ms. Ayari accused Mr. Ramadan of raping and assaulting her in a hotel on the sidelines of a conference in Paris in 2012. She said Mr. Ramadan had acted as an online teacher and mentor to her and then had suggested one day that they meet at his hotel.
She wrote about the encounter in a book in 2016, but did not name her attacker at the time. Last month, encouraged by the wave of denunciations by women outing their sexual aggressors in the #MeToo campaign on social media after the Harvey Weinstein scandal, Ms. Ayari identified Mr. Ramadan as her attacker. She said she had not spoken out earlier because Mr. Ramadan had threatened her and her children.
Ms. Ayari has lodged a complaint with the French police, alleging rape, sexual assault, harassment and intimidation. Her lawyers said she had also submitted evidence with her complaint.
A second Frenchwoman has also filed a complaint with the police in Paris, accusing Mr. Ramadan of assaulting and raping her in a hotel in Lyon in 2009. That woman, who has not been named publicly, described a horrifying assault by Mr. Ramadan to two French newspapers.
Other allegations have surfaced in French and Swiss newspapers, including accounts from two women who said they had sexual relations with Mr. Ramadan before they had reached the age of consent, and a third who described having a consensual but violent relationship with him.
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.
Harry Thomas, pastor of Come Alive Church in Medford, New Jersey and the founder of Creation Concerts (Festivals), has been accused of sexually assault four minors over a sixteen-year period. Thomas has already been scrubbed from the church’s website.
Jim Walsh, a reporter for the Courier Post, writes:
A 74-year-old pastor active in promoting Christian music festivals is accused of sexually assaulting four minors here over a 16-year period, authorities said Thursday.
Harry L. Thomas, who preached at Come Alive Church in Medford, allegedly assaulted his victims between 1999 and 2015, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office.
It did not name the victims or describe their relationship with Thomas, a Medford resident who played a prominent role in a sensational child-abuse case more than a decade ago.
The prosecutor’s office asked anyone “who may have experienced inappropriate contact” with Thomas to contact investigators.
According to online information for Come Alive Church, Thomas founded the church in 1983, holding its first services in a township school building.
He also is the founder of Creation Concerts, a Medford-based promoter of Christian music concerts.
Thomas in 1979 held the first Creation Fest, which bills itself as the nation’s largest Christian music festival. The multi-day summer festival has shows scheduled for 2018 in Mount Union, Pa., and Kennewick, Washington.
Come Alive Church includes “both traditional and contemporary music” in its services, according to the church’s website.
“The art of music can also be a way to present the gospel message in a disarming way, and at the same time inspire and encourage the body of believers,” it says.
In 2003, Thomas served as an advocate for Raymond and Vanessa Jackson of Collingswood, church members accused of starving four foster children.
The pastor created a now-defunct website, savethejacksons.org, and offered emotional and financial support to the family, according to Courier-Post reports from that time.
“I find it very hard within me to believe they have done this in any purposeful way, if in fact they have done it,” he told a Courier-Post reporter in November 2003.
Thomas was criticized at a congressional hearing on the case in November 2004, after he minimized weight gain by the children after they were removed from the Jacksons’ care.
The boys, ages 9 to 19, each weighed less than 50 pounds after a neighbor alerted police after he found a boy looking for food in his trashcan.
During his testimony, Thomas suggested the boys may have been weighed with their shoes on and said the boys might be responding to attention from authorities, said a Courier-Post report.
“We’d all gain weight in that environment,’ he told the panel.
Vanessa Jackson received a seven-year prison term in 2006 for endangering the welfare of the children. Raymond Jackson died in 2004.
A representative of Come Alive Church, which is on the 200 block of Old Marlton Pike, could not be reached for immediate comment.
Thomas, a Queens Lane resident, was arrested Wednesday morning, and “is being treated at a medical facility, where he is under guard,” the statement said.
The pastor is charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault and three counts of sexual assault, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
The Medford man also faces four counts of endangering the welfare of minors.
Harry Thomas, the 74-year-old church pastor accused of sexually assaulting four minors over more than a decade, consented to remain detained pending further court proceedings.
At a detention hearing in Burlington County Superior Court Tuesday afternoon, Thomas said he would voluntarily remain in prison, at the advice of his attorney, public defender Anthony Aldorasi.
Thomas, a Medford resident and pastor at Come Alive Church, was charged earlier this month with a series of alleged assaults that took place between 1999 and 2015.
In addition to his role at Come Alive Church, Thomas is also a popular national figure in the Christian community, and founded the country’s largest Christian music festival, the Creation Festival.
Both Come Alive Church and the Creation Festival have indefinitely suspended Thomas from his leadership and ministry roles.
Authorities are withholding information about where the alleged assaults took place, as well as the victims’ ages, to shield their identities.
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In a February 17, 2018 story, the Burlington County Times reported:
The former pastor of a Medford church was solemn, weeping at one point and sniffling often, as he admitted in court Friday that he sexually assaulted or abused five minors over a 14-year period.
Harry L. Thomas, 74, of Queens Lane in Medford, will likely die in prison after he agreed to a plea deal before Superior Court Judge Jeanne T. Covert that would have him serve 15 to 20 years without parole.
Thomas, founder of the Come Alive New Testament Church on Old Marlton Pike, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual assault, three counts of sexual assault, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.
Under the deal, the state will argue that he serve 20 years; the defense will seek 15 years. Thomas’ sentencing is tentatively scheduled for June. He had faced the possibility of up to 25 years for first-degree aggravated sexual assault and 10 years each on the other charges, Covert told him.
When questioned by his attorney, Anthony Aldorasi, Thomas admitted to the sexual assault of a 9-year-old in 2005; sexual contact with three girls who were 7, 8 and 9, in 2000 and 2010; and exposing himself and endangering the welfare of a girl between 2008 and 2010, when she was 8 to 10 years old.
All of the crimes occurred in Medford, according to comments in court. Any additional information about the victims was withheld to protect their identities, according to the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office. The office also would not comment on whether the victims were church members.
Aldorasi said although Thomas could not recall the exact dates of the offenses, he did not dispute the allegations. Thomas pleaded guilty before being indicted on any charges, waiving his right to grand jury proceedings. Both sides indicated that he wanted to plead guilty quickly out of consideration for the victims and their families, some of whom were in court.
Thomas will be evaluated to determine if he should undergo treatment as a repetitive and compulsive sexual offender. He will also be subject to Megan’s Law requirements, including registering as a sex offender.
Thomas, who has been in jail since his arrest in December, told the judge he has had serious health problems, including strokes and congestive heart failure. He was sniffling throughout the proceedings, but told Covert he was in a clear mind frame in admitting his guilt.
On its website, the church posted: “Harry Thomas has officially resigned all associations and ministry roles with Come Alive New Testament Church, Creation Festivals and Come Alive International, effective immediately. The leadership of these organizations have accepted Mr. Thomas’ resignation as the proper course of action and will continue to actively cooperate with the authorities. While we are unable to share the details of what was reported, we have been informed that the charges are not related to any of his roles in these ministries.”
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.
Pennsylvania state troopers raided Roaring Brook Baptist Church in Hunlock Creek, Pennsylvania as part of an investigation into “allegations of misconduct within the church.” Dan Brubaker is the pastor of Roaring Brook Baptist.
Bob Kalinowski, a reporter for The Citizens’ Voice, writes:
State police on Wednesday raided a Hunlock Creek church as part of an investigation into “allegations of misconduct within the church.”
Police served a search warrant at Roaring Brook Baptist Church on Pritchards Road.
Troopers would not say what they were investigating , but they were seen hauling two computers away from the church as evidence.
Pastor Dan Brubaker was seen leaving the church with a copy of the search warrant.
“I can’t respond. I’m not answering any questions,” he told reporters.
Police would not reveal the nature of the allegations. They said the search warrant was sealed for 60 days and no one was immediately arrested.
Sgt. James Dunleavy, station commander for thee Shickshinny state police barracks, said troopers were acting upon a complaint received.
State police raided Roaring Brook Baptist Church in Hunlock Township in Luzerne County just after 10 a.m.
“I’m shocked. I’m literally shocked.”
A neighbor who lives across the street from Roaring Brook Baptist Church is trying to grapple with the sight of state police raiding the well-known church in Hunlock Township shortly after 10 a.m.
During the raid, investigators seized two computer hard drives. State police would not release any information as to why the raid of the church took place.
“We’re here today at the Roaring Brook Baptist church to investigate allegations of misconduct within the church,” said Sgt. James Dunleavy, Pennsylvania State Police. “At this point in the investigation, we’re not prepared to make any statements as to the particulars of the allegations. The court has sealed the search warrant for the period of 60 days.”
The search warrant is sealed and police would not say who might be under investigation.
Newswatch 16 knocked on the door of the churches’ pastor, Dan Brubaker, but he had no comment.
“I’m not talking to the news media,” Brubaker said.
That neighbor who lives across the street tells us that the church has an excellent reputation. She couldn’t believe what was happening this morning.
“As far as I know, it’s excellent,” Linda Archavage said. “They have so many people going there. My dad used to go there. We have senior things over here and all. He’s very involved with all of the church members. I’m just speechless as far as it goes.”
One man received a call from somebody informing him that there was a police presence here at the church. He says that he was surprised to hear that news because the area is considered safe.
“Once in a while, we have problems with people breaking in because it’s a country church and it out here,” Arden Delkanic of Hunlock Township said. “It’s a pretty honest community. We usually don’t have any problems around here.”
According to the church’s website, Roaring Brook Baptist is:
Are an independent church
Encourage inner spiritual growth not mere outward action
Have an informal atmosphere in services
Do not expect nonmembers to contribute financially
Seek changed lives through Christ
Are committed to correct doctrine
Emphasize prayer
Let the Bible be our source of doctrine
The church’s website lists five reasons people attend Roaring Brook:
Friendly, caring, informal atmosphere
Good practical Bible teaching
Ministry for children
A godly pastor who loves the Lord and is committed to presenting God’s Word in a meaningful manner.
They don’t beg for money. Giving is to be due to love for God.
And finally, the church’s website has this to say about Pastor Brubaker:
Pastor Dan has a love for God’s Word and for people. He is gifted with the ability to present God’s Word in a practical manner for daily living. He is convinced that problems and struggles can be resolved through understanding and applying God’s Word. This conviction is evident in the clear manner in which he teaches God’s Word. He regularly spends much time in the study of God’s Word and prayer. He seeks to provide instruction rather than preaching “at” people. He teaches God’s Word due to his love for individuals.
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.
Erick Granados-Zeledon, a Bible teacher at Iglesia Hispana Emmanuel in Annapolis, Maryland, was sentenced today to ten years in prison for sexually molesting a ten-year-old child.
Saline San Felice, a reporter for the Capital Gazette, writes:
A former Bible study instructor at an Annapolis church was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison for sexually abusing a child.
Erick Ernesto Granados-Zeledon, 39, of Edgewater, was arrested in June and charged with sex abuse of a minor and several related crimes. A 10-year-old child told investigators that Granados-Zeledon sexually abused him.
On Tuesday, Circuit Court Judge Michael Wachs sentenced him to 10 years in prison with five years probation. Granados-Zeledon is required to register as a tier three sex offender for the rest of his life and has been barred from any unsupervised contact with minors.
Granados-Zeledon was a chaperone and Bible study instructor at Iglesia Hispana Emmanuel in Annapolis, where he met the boy and his family, Assistant State’s Attorney Reva Chopra said during the sentencing hearing in Annapolis. He became a friend of the family and would take the child from the family’s residence to church, out to eat and occasionally to his home in Edgewater, police wrote in charging documents.
“His family believed (Granados-Zeledon) wanted to be a mentor for the young boy,” Chopra said in court.
….
Assistant Public Defender Bethany Linden Skopp, Granados-Zeledon’s attorney, said her client admitted to investigators that he’d performed sexual acts with the child in March when he drove the boy to his home. He pleaded guilty in October, and prosecutors dropped all of the charges except for sex abuse of a minor.
At the time of his arrest, Anne Arundel County police expressed concerned there might have been more victims since Granados-Zeledon’s position at the church put him in regular contact with children.
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 Graton, a counselor affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was arrested Monday on sexual abuse allegations.
The Daily Herald reports:
A second counselor in a bishopric in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was arrested Monday after reportedly sexually abusing a girl multiple times.
Jeffrey Graton, 40, of American Fork, was arrested on suspicion of three counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.
Police responded Sunday to a call at the 300th block of 620 South in American Fork Sunday night on a welfare check after an LDS bishop called to have police check on Graton, a second counselor in an LDS bishopric.
Graton reportedly had left his home with a gun and wasn’t answering his phone after it was reported he had inappropriately touched a girl several years ago, according to a police report. Graton was found and gave the rifle to an LDS leader.
The abuse reportedly happened 10 times.
Graton reportedly told police he had touched the girl’s chest and thighs, both under and over clothing, while giving her a massage in two occasions two and a half years ago. He also admitted to grabbing the girl’s hand and using it to touch his genitals.
