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Black Collar Crime: Evangelical Music Teacher Robert Gordon Accused of Sexual Assault

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robert gordon

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.

Robert Gordon, a music teacher at First United Pentecostal Church in Security, Colorado, and a public school bus driver, was charged last week with sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust, sexual assault on a child, unlawful sexual contact, and enticement of a child.

Channel 11 reported:

A former church music teacher accused of sexually assaulting a child may have more victims, according to arrest papers obtained by 11 News.

The papers listed a 17-year-old victim, along with the 14-year-old whose parents first brought the case to law enforcement’s attention.

As 11 News first reported last week, 58-year-old Robert Henry Gordon was arrested April 13, three days after the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office received a tip from those parents.

According to the arrest affidavit, the victim’s mother first noticed something wasn’t right when she saw her son using a cell phone in his bedroom — despite never owning one.

“The parents of the child, a 14-year-old male, found inappropriate text messages between their child and the suspect,” part of a news release from EPSO reads. “The parents reported their findings to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. An El Paso County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputy took the initial report and immediately forwarded the information to detectives. SVU detectives conducted further investigation. The child was interviewed by a certified forensic interviewer and evidence collected.”

The child told investigators Gordon gave him the phone, according to the arrest papers. The papers go on to say that the boy told law enforcement Gordon would use religion to justify their relationship.

The sheriff’s office said Gordon served as a music teacher at First United Pentecostal Church in Security and worked as a school bus driver in multiple districts, including Widefield School District 3.

….

Gordon remains in jail as of Monday night and is being held without bond. He is facing charges of sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust, sexual assault on a child, unlawful sexual contact, and enticement of a child.

The arrest papers say Gordon’s criminal history includes similar charges dating back to the late 90s. He has pleaded guilty to some of these past charges and been acquitted on others.

Today, more charges were brought against Gordon.

The Gazette reports:

Two new cases involving child sexual misconduct have been brought against Robert Gordon on the same day as his first court appearance for alleged sexual assault on a child in a third case.

Gordon, a 58-year-old church music teacher and former bus driver, was arrested April 13 on suspicion of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, sexual assault on a child, unlawful sexual contact and enticement of a child after an investigation by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.

On Thursday, two additional criminal cases were brought against Gordon. In one, Gordon faces one charge of enticing a child, and in the other, he faces alleged sexual exploitation of a child, enticement of a child and child abuse.

In the original case from last week, the parents of a 14-year-old boy reported finding inappropriate text messages earlier this month between their son and Gordon, a friend of the family, according to the arrest affidavit obtained by The Gazette.

The affidavit revealed that the victim spent most weekends at Gordon’s house, where the victim told investigators he engaged in sexual behaviors with either Gordon or another juvenile almost every weekend for around three years. He was 11 years old the first time he spent the night in Gordon’s bedroom and Gordon allegedly had sex with him.

Gordon allegedly gave the victim gifts and money, and justified the alleged sexual abuse with a religious sermon about respecting elders, the affidavit said.

The affidavit referenced a 17-year-old who also spent weekends at Gordon’s house and may have also engaged in sexual activity with the victim in this case, according to the affidavit.

Gordon is due back in court on April 27 for official filing of charges in this case and is being held on no bond, court records show.

Gordon has a history of sexual misconduct dating back twenty-five years:

Gordon was the subject of a yearlong investigation in El Paso County that began in August 2011, according to previous reporting by The Gazette. A male victim reported he and Gordon allegedly had a sexual relationship in 2001 when the boy was around 12 years old. He was said to have met Gordon at a church in Security-Widefield.

In a 2011 interview with an El Paso County sheriff’s deputy during this investigation, “Mr. Gordon did admit to having a sexual relationship with (the victim). Mr Gordon said he was in his 30’s at the time and (the victim) would have been around 12 or 13 years old,” the affidavit said.

Of the eight total charges brought against Gordon in that case, four were dismissed by the district attorney and he was acquitted of the other four by a jury in 2014. He pleaded not guilty to six counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust with a victim under the age of 15 and two counts of sexual assault on a child with a pattern of sexual abuse.

Around the time that alleged relationship would have been going on, a jury acquitted Gordon in a separate case in 2001 where he faced two counts of sexual assault on a child with force and sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, court records show. Gordon was found not guilty of the charges in that case in February 2001.

According to the arrest affidavit in this case previously obtained by The Gazette, a 14-year-old boy accused Gordon of having sexual intercourse with him “quite a few” times while the boy slept over at Gordon’s house in 1996. The teen alleged that the first incident happened when he was 12 or 13, the warrant said.

Gordon was convicted of harboring a runaway child, a misdemeanor, in 1998, and was sentenced to a one-year unsupervised deferred sentence.

First United Pentecostal has made no public statement about Gordon’s arrest. Here’s what I want to know: did the church know about Gordon’s past? Did they run state and federal background checks on him? Did they contact his previous employers? Did they, did they, did they . . . the answer is likely no. It is clear that Gordon is a sexual predator. First United must be called on to account for allowing him to have ready access to church children.

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.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

One Million Moms Outraged Over Gay Men in Men’s Wearhouse Ad

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Gay wedding ceremony

One Million Moms, an arm of the American Family Association, is outraged over the appearance of gay men in a Men’s Wearhouse advertisement. OMM sent out an email blast titled “Men’s Wearhouse Finds It Necessary to Flaunt an Alternative Lifestyle to Sell Their Clothes” to thousands of like-minded Fundamentalists and one not-like-minded atheist :), alerting them to the latest appearance of gay men in public. Here’s what homophobe extraordinaire, Monica Cole, had to say:

Men’s Wearhouse should be ashamed of attempting to normalize sin by featuring two gay men getting married in their 2023 “Love the way you look on your big day” commercial. It includes two men dressed in wedding attire, hand in hand after their ceremony, and emphasizes during the ad, “And we mean everybody.”

Obviously, this “Love the way you look” ad (with hashtag #LTWYL) promotes same-sex marriage to please a small percentage of customers while pushing away conservative customers. Not to mention, there is also a female dressed in a groomsman’s suit during this commercial.

Even though homosexuality is unnatural, this advertisement is pushing the LGBTQ agenda. Men’s Wearhouse is using public airwaves to subject families to decadent morals and values while belittling the sanctity of marriage. As an even greater concern, the controversial commercial is airing as early as 6:00 p.m., when children are likely watching television. It is not a retailer’s job to introduce so-called “social issues” like this to our children in a commercial. Men’s Wearhouse is glorifying sin, and no sin should be honored.

Millions of Americans strongly believe marriage should be between one man and one woman. But Men’s Wearhouse is taking sides instead of remaining neutral in the culture war. Men’s Wearhouse will hear from the left, so they need to hear from us as well. One day, we will answer for our actions or lack of them. So, we must remain diligent and stand up for Biblical values and truth. Repeatedly, Scripture says that homosexuality is wrong, and God will not tolerate this sinful nature (Romans 1:26-27).

OMM accuses Men’s Wearhouse of:

  • Normalizing sin by featuring two gay men getting married
  • Promoting same-sex marriage
  • Pushing away conservative Christians
  • Pushing the LGBTQ agenda
  • Using public airwaves to subject families to decadent morals and values
  • Introducing children to so-called “social issues”
  • Glorifying sin
  • Not being neutral in the “culture war”

OMM got all this from a TV ad. Here’s the thirty-second ad that has Cole and her fellow Evangelicals all upset:

Video Link

By the way, half of the ad features heterosexual couples. And, shades of George Wallace, mixed-race couples!

Of all the things OMM could focus on, they choose to fix their righteous indignation on a 30-second clothing ad. I seriously doubt Men’s Wearhouse will pay any attention to their fake outrage. It’s 2023, ladies. LGBTQ people ain’t going away. All you are doing is making fools of yourselves and Christianity.

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.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

Should Every Possible Effort be Made to Preserve and Save Human Life?

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calvin and hobbes death

Fundamentalist Christian Jeff Maples believes ALL life matters, and it should be protected at ALL costs. Here’s what Maples said on The Dissenter website in 2019:

Critics have argued that reimplanting a fetus from an ectopic pregnancy is a procedure “not known to medical science” and would place obstetricians and gynecologists in a dire situation for not performing an “impossible procedure.” However, the bill does not require doctors to be successful in the procedure, rather take all measures at attempting to do so. This would, in effect, advance the science behind the practice making it more likely to save lives in the future. When dealing with human life, it is imperative that all measures be taken to preserve it — an unborn child deserves no less than a two-year-old child or an adult. That’s the whole point of the measure.

I wonder if Maples really believes all life matters. I wonder if he is a pacifist or anti-capital punishment? I wonder if Maples opposed President Trump’s barbaric immigration policies; policies that led to the deaths of adults and children alike? Something tells me he is not as pro-life as he says he is. Most Evangelicals are schizophrenic when it comes to matters of life and death. Typically, Evangelicals, and their counterparts in the Roman Catholic church, only think all life matters before birth. After birth, humans are on their own. Well, that is until it comes time to die. Then Evangelicals show up to protest and criminalize end-of-life attempts to lessen suffering and pain. Humans must suffer to the bitter end. According to Evangelicals and Catholics, euthanasia is humans playing God, and that must never happen. In their eyes, physician-assisted suicide is murder.

Maples believes that every effort should be made to preserve life. No matter the cost or the outcome, life must be preserved. I am sure that Maples believes his anti-death viewpoint is noble. It’s not. Maples and others like him see no qualitative difference between a fertilized egg and a thirteen-year-old; no difference between a thirteen-week-old fetus and its mother; no difference between a teenager with a full life ahead of her and a ninety-year-old man who is nearing death. Such thinking, of course, is absurd.

I do my best to have a consistent life ethic. That said, all life is not equal, nor should every effort be made to preserve life. There is a qualitative difference between a fertilized egg and its mother. The fertilized egg represents potential life. It cannot live outside of the womb. That’s why I support the unrestricted right to an abortion until viability. Once a fetus is viable, then the mother and medical professionals must consider its interests along with that of the mother. When it comes to choosing between the fetus and the mother, the choice, to me anyway, is clear: the mother. Granted, if the mother is gravely ill with cancer or some other terminal disease, then consideration should be given to saving the fetus. Such decisions are never easy, but one thing is for certain: we don’t need Evangelicals and Catholics, their God, or Republican politicians deciding what should be done.

As someone who knows that he is on the short side of life, I don’t want the Jeff Maples of the world butting their noses into my end-of-life decisions or those of my family. I know how I want the end of my life to play out, as do my wife and children. I don’t want Christian Fundamentalists getting between me and my God. “Huh? Bruce, you don’t have a God.” Well, I do when it comes to this discussion. If Christians want to wallow in needless pain and suffering at the end of their lives — all so their mythical God will give them an “attaboy” — that’s fine by me. However, my triune God — humanism, science, and reason — doesn’t demand that I suffer unnecessarily; when it is my time to die it is okay for me to say, “No más.” I expect my doctors, Polly, and my six children to honor my wishes. I have seen far too many people endlessly and needlessly suffer, all so Jesus would be honored and their families would know that they fought to the end. I have watched countless dying people go through unnecessary, painful procedures and treatments, all so their spouses and children could rest easy knowing that every possible thing was done to preserve their life.

Sadly, many people ignorantly think that longevity of life is all that matters; that enduring surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation is worth it if it adds a few weeks or months at the end of their lives. Evangelicals speak of being ready to meet God. They sing songs about Heaven and preach sermons that suggest True Christians® yearn and long for eternal life in the sweet by and by. Yet, when it comes time to die, they are in no hurry to catch the next train to Glory.

Instead of focusing on the longevity of life, the focus should be on the quality of life.  Sure, it is human nature to want to live as long as possible. But some things are worse than death. Often, the treatment is worse than a terminal disease. Personally, I would choose to live three months and then die, than to suffer the horrible side effects of end-of-life treatments that would often only add weeks or a few months to my life.

When it comes to dying, God is an unnecessary middleman. He and his Bible-sotted disciples get in the way of what is best for the sick and dying. Demanding that life be preserved at all costs only causes unnecessary pain and suffering. I know of Evangelical families who refused to let their dying loved ones die with dignity. You see, in their minds, all that matters is playing by God’s rules. All that matters is pleasing God. If their loved one has to suffer, so be it. God comes first. God mustn’t be offended, even if he prolongs the misery of the dying. Quite frankly, when it comes time for me to die, I don’t want religious zealots anywhere near me. I don’t need or want their prayers or admonitions. I want to be surrounded by my family. I want to hear them say, “Dad, it’s okay to let go.”

I have made my wishes known to my wife and children. Polly and I have spent a considerable amount of time talking about the various end-of-life scenarios; about what we want or don’t want to be done in the various circumstances we might face in the future. Both of us believe that quality of life is more important than extending life. We reject Jeff Maples’ notion that our lives should be preserved at all costs. We know that one day we will physically reach the end of the line. Hopefully, not anytime soon, but who knows (certainly not God), right? Better to have these discussions now than to have them under pressure or when one or both of us might not have the mental acuity to make rational choices.

I have specifically made plans to end my life when the quality of my life is such that I no longer want to live. I have talked to my counselor extensively about this. She is aware of my end-of-life plan. Of course, she encourages me to live, but she always knows that I am in decline physically; that it’s becoming harder for me to rise above my physical challenges. Most days, I am not suicidal, but I am acutely aware of what is happening to me physically. No cure or magical procedure is on the horizon, so I am “content” to face the limitations of mortality.

Not talking about death is not an option. Pretending we will live forever only leads to heartache when the lie is exposed. The moment we are born, we begin marching toward the finish line. While I would love to live to threescore and ten or fourscore, (Psalm 90:10) I know that’s unlikely. Probabilities come into play. All the positive thinking in the world won’t change the odds. I am grateful to have lived longer than my mom and dad. But it would be foolish of me to ignore the realities staring me in the face. Pretending that I am going to live to be a hundred helps whom, exactly?  The Bible is right when it says, “Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” (Proverbs 27:1) Solomon was spot on when he wrote:

Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 8:15)

I give the following advice on the ABOUT page:

You have one life. There is no heaven or hell. There is no afterlife. You have one life, it’s yours, and what you do with it is what matters most. Love and forgive those who matter to you and ignore those who add nothing to your life. Life is too short to spend time trying to make nice with those who will never make nice with you. Determine who are the people in your life that matter and give your time and devotion to them. Live each and every day to its fullest. You never know when death might come calling. Don’t waste time trying to be a jack of all trades, master of none. Find one or two things you like to do and do them well. Too many people spend way too much time doing things they will never be good at.

Here’s the conclusion of the matter. It’s your life and you best get to living it. Someday, sooner than you think, it will be over. Don’t let your dying days be ones of regret over what might have been.

Do you think life should be preserved at all costs; that every effort should be made to preserve life? How do you come to terms with your mortality? Do you prefer longevity of life over quality of life? Please share your astute thoughts in the comment section. If you are so inclined, please share approximately how old you are. I am interested in how age affects our end-of-life viewpoints.

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.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

Black Collar Crime: Kent Hovind’s Dinosaur Adventure Land Buddy, Christopher Jones, Accused of Sex Crimes

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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.

Christopher Link Jones, Kent Hovind’s bosom buddy at Dinosaur Adventure Land in Repton, Alabama, stands accused of criminal sexual conduct with a minor under 14. Jones was previously convicted of battery and lewd acts on children in California. Hovind, of course, is adamant that Jones is innocent.

The Daily Beast reports:

A conspiracy theorist at the center of controversy over a creationist theme park has been arrested for alleged sexual assault of a nine-year-old.

Christopher Link Jones, 55, was arrested late last month in Aiken, South Carolina, the Aiken Standard first reported. An arrest warrant shows Jones charged with criminal sexual conduct with a minor under 14. Jones was previously convicted of battery and lewd acts on children in California.

Jones’ California criminal record created rifts at Dinosaur Adventure Land, a creationist theme park where Jones is friends with head preacher Kent Hovind, and where Jones has been accused of sexually abusing a boy. Hovind and Jones have blamed the previous conviction on a plot to silence Jones for what he claims was his work with Infowars founder Alex Jones.

Hovind told The Daily Beast that Jones is still welcome at Dinosaur Adventure Land (DAL) despite the new charges.

“I’ve known Chris for many years,” Hovind told The Daily Beast. “He gets accused of things all the time, but everybody gets their day in court. I don’t know the details on that [the charges].”

….

Former DAL residents previously told The Daily Beast they distanced themselves from Hovind after he allegedly arranged for Jones to share a bed with an 11-year-old boy whom Jones had brought to DAL in 2019. The boy, whom The Daily Beast is not naming, later told his mother that Jones had touched his genitals through a paper towel. Recordings from a 2021 meeting of DAL staff and residents, previously reported by The Daily Beast, show Hovind dismissing concerns about the incident.

“That’s Chris’s decision and the kid’s decision,” Hovind said during the 2021 meeting, when DAL residents raised concerns about Jones wrestling with the child, or sharing a bed with him. “How people here react to that is their decision. He’s got a right to wrestle with a kid if he wants and you’ve got a right to say ‘I’m not getting around Chris.’”

Reached for comment, the boy’s mother told The Daily Beast that Jones’ arrest in South Carolina last month was related to her son. The arrest warrant does not appear to relate directly to DAL (which is located in Alabama), but to an incident approximately two years before the DAL visit, when the boy was nine. The boy’s mother previously stated that Jones was her boss, and that he had sometimes looked after her son prior to the DAL trip.

Neither Jones nor his lawyer returned requests for comment on Jones’ arrest. Jones left jail last month on a $15,000 bond, court records show.

Jones was previously convicted on three charges of lewd acts on children, after he made three boys (ages nine, 11, and 12) play strip poker with him. He was also convicted of battery for spanking a naked seven-year-old boy.

He and Hovind have blamed the past cases on political persecution. Jones claims to have recorded undercover footage from Bohemian Grove, a campsite for the rich and powerful that has long been the subject of conspiracy theories. Jones claims he gave the footage to Infowars founder Alex Jones (no relation), prompting government forces to pursue sex crime charges against him.

….

“He got a job there and video taped a bunch of stuff and they wanted him in prison,” Hovind said in a voicemail to a DAL resident who called to ask about Jones’ criminal past.

Neither Infowars nor an Alex Jones spokesperson returned requests for comment.

Reached by phone about Jones’ latest arrest, Hovind said it was not feasible to perform background checks on all DAL visitors. Even so, he said. “I would doubt he’s guilty.”

But Hovind doesn’t need to perform a background check; he’s already aware of Jones’ past conviction.

“Well even that doesn’t mean you’re guilty,” Hovind said. “How many people, later, convictions get overturned? Thousands of them. Sometimes 20 years, 50 years later.”

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.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

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

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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, 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.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

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

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

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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, 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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You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

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

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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, 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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You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

Ken Ham Lies About the Size of a Four-Week-Old Human Embryo

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Ken Ham, the CEO of Answers in Genesis, and the builder of two monuments to ignorance, the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter, recently took U.S. Representative Ted Lieu to task for misrepresenting what a nine-week fetus looks like; saying that Lieu was a liar. In doing so, Ham told his own lie about a four-week-old embryo.

Here’s the picture of a four-week-old embryo Ham used in a post titled What Does a 9-Week-Old Baby Look Like? California Representative Lies About It:

fetus at four weeks

According to the British National Health Service:

Your [four-week-old] baby, or embryo, is about 2mm long (about the size of a poppy seed) and growing rapidly in your womb. It’s protected by an amniotic sac, which is filled with cushioning fluid, and attached to a tiny yolk sac that provides all the nourishment it needs. The outer layer will later develop into the placenta and provide your baby with oxygen and nutrients.

According to the NHS, a four-week-old embryo is 2 mm long. For us Yanks, who are metric ignorant, that is .08 of an inch. As you can see, Ham lies about the size of the embryo, overstating its size by three hundred percent.

Ham also uses a classic sleight of hand used by forced birthers to distort public perception of fetal development and abortion. A four-week-old embryo is the size of a poppy seed. Yet, Ham blows up the picture to show an embryo that is five inches long — sixty-three times larger than it actually is. Ham knows that if he displayed the actual size of a four-week-old embryo, his readers would be unimpressed and might even approve of women taking Mifepristone at this stage of fetal development.

It is common for forced birth zealots (I do not use the term pro-life) to use pictures of fetuses aborted late term in their propaganda — even though very few abortions are performed in the last trimester. Why is that? People such as Ham know that abortion is an emotional issue. What better way to stir emotions than deceitfully using pictures of late-term fetuses, misrepresenting what most embryos/fetuses look like when pregnancies are terminated?

Ken Ham and the zealots at Answers in Genesis do not traffic in facts. Their agenda is to promote and advance the teachings and beliefs of Fundamentalist Christianity. Their “facts” always serve that end, and that’s why Ham was willing to lie in his post.

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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You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.

Songs of Sacrilege: Autotheist by Baby Bugs

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Baby Bugs

This is the latest installment in the Songs of Sacrilege series. This is a series that I would like readers to help me with. If you know of a song that is irreverent towards religion, makes fun of religion, pokes fun at sincerely held religious beliefs, or challenges the firmly held religious beliefs of others, please send me an email.

Today’s Song of Sacrilege is by Autotheist by Baby Bugs. Baby Bugs is a nonbinary artist who was raised in the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) church movement.

Video Link

Lyrics

Dear god up in heaven
Are you glad I learned my lesson?
I’m not making any promises
That it’ll end any time soon

And dear god up in heaven
How do I fucking get in?
You tried to make me scared of hell
But I’m living there, I’m living there

And if I was god, I’d kill the people who believe in me
And if I was god, I’d make everybody bow to me
And who says that I’m not a god?
I am god to me
And if I was god, I’d make you all believe in me

Dear god up in heaven
You saved my soul, held me for ransom
You said my life was yours, and I tried so fucking hard

And dear god up in heaven
Who do you really let in?
I pray that it’s not me
I’d rather die than be with you

And if I was god, I’d kill the people who believe in me
And if I was god, I’d make everybody bow to me
And who says that I’m not a god?
I am god to me
And if I was god, I’d make you all believe in me

You are not my god
You sent all of these people after me
You are not my god
You kept me from feeling anything
And who says you’re a god at all?
God is only me
And when I become god, I promise you’ll believe in me

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.

Your comments are welcome and appreciated. All first-time comments are moderated. Please read the commenting rules before commenting.

You can email Bruce via the Contact Form.