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.
Myron Chorbajian, pastor of First Southern Methodist Church in Greenville, South Carolina and his wife, Kathleen, face ninety criminal charges, including child sexual abuse and attempted murder.
New warrants released in the investigation into a Greenville County pastor and his wife reveal more allegations of disturbing abuse.
In May, Myron Chorbajian and Kathleen Chorbajian were arrested after a victim came forward about abuse that reportedly started in the 1980s. Initial reports from investigators detailed extensive child sexual abuse and animal killings.
Myron is the pastor of First Southern Methodist Church in Greenville. He and his wife reportedly adopted numerous children over the years.
The Chorbajians now face a combined 90 charges, including two attempted murder charges against Myron.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office released the new warrants in the case on Thursday, which contain graphic details. Some of the allegations are too disturbing to report.
The attempted murder charges stem from alleged incidents in the 1990s where, according to his arrest warrants, Myron cut off oxygen to victims by holding them underwater or placing his arms around the victim’s neck.
The warrant says Kathleen “allowed her husband to force their children to smoke until they vomited.” A related warrant against Myron says it was “several packs of cigarettes.”
Myron also forced children to eat trash and feces, other warrants state.
A warrant says Myron killed a 6-year-old girl’s pet rabbit in front of her with an axe and forced the child to eat the rabbit.
To “prove the consequence of disobedience,” a warrant says Myron threw a child’s pet kitten into the running engine of a van.
Myron sexually abused a child on the victim’s 12th birthday, according to a warrant. He’s accused of committing child sex crimes both on his home couch and an office couch of his place of work at the time. During one of the sexual assaults, Myron is accused of restricting a child’s breathing until she passed out.
Kathleen is accused of handcuffing a child to the bed for days during one instance of abuse detailed in a warrant. She also reportedly slapped and struck children in the face with items causing bleeding.
A warrant says Myron took a victim to the woods, stripped her naked, and beat her with a stick “leaving long lasting bruises.” Kathleen knew about it, the warrant against her states.
The Chorbajians were denied bond again during a hearing on Tuesday and remain in the Greenville County Detention Center.
Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 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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