Elliot Wickboldt, a pastor at Awaken Church in McAllen, Texas, was arrested Tuesday and charged with sexually assaulting a church teenager.
Valley Central/Channel 4 reports:
Police arrested a pastor Tuesday after a member of his McAllen church accused him of sexually assaulting a teenager for more than two years.
Elliot James Wickboldt of McAllen is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl from July 2015 to Oct. 12, 2017, according to a criminal complaint.
On multiple occasions, Wickboldt sexually assaulted Jane– a pseudonym assigned to the teen in the criminal complaint–at an Edinburg home and at Awaken Church, according to the criminal complaint.
On Oct. 24 during an interview at the Children’s Advocacy Center, Jane said “Wickboldt would tell her not to tell anyone or he would go to jail,” according to the criminal complaint.
Awaken Church Lead Pastor Bentley Sargeant issued the following statement to CBS 4 News:
“Elliot Wickboldt was removed as pastor of Awaken Church due to a moral failure. He was not the pastor at the time of his arrest. Please direct additional questions regarding the alleged crime to the local authorities.”
McAllen police met with an Awaken Church “overseer” on Monday, who said Wickboldt “had admitted to kissing, holding hands and touching Jane’s privates and vice versa,” according to the criminal complaint.
After obtaining several statements, police issued an arrest warrant for Wickboldt on Tuesday, according to the criminal complaint.
Wickboldt was charged with sexual assault, a second-degree felony; and indecency with a child with sexual contact, a third-degree felony.
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Update
A November 14, 2017 Valley Central/Channel 4 report states:
A former McAllen pastor has been charged with indecency with a child—again.
Elliot James Wickboldt was charged with indecency with a child with sexual contact, a second-degree felony, on Nov. 1.
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The incidents allegedly occurred in both McAllen and Edinburg, and were reported to both police departments.
Wickboldt’s third charge is in connection to the alleged sexual assault of Jane Doe at the Edinburg home, according to a criminal complaint from the Edinburg Municipal Court.
According to the criminal complaint, Wickboldt assaulted Jane Doe “during game/movie nights” at an Edinburg home. The criminal complaint doesn’t specify dates.
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