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Rodney McManus, pastor of NewLife Outreach Church in East Palestine, Ohio was arrested Tuesday on charges of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor
A local pastor of a church and business owner is accused of having inappropriate contact with a girl under the age of 16.
Police confirmed that Rodney McManus, 49, of Alice Street, was arrested Tuesday on charges of attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.
Police say McManus touched the girl inappropriately on multiple occasions between January 2014 and August 2017.
The girl was under 16 and older than 13 when the incidents occurred.
McManus met up with the girl at the Coffee Stop, which he co-owned and used for youth activities for teens and where he held services for the NewLife Outreach Church.
McManus appeared in court on Thursday where bond was set at $25,000. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 19.
The NewLife Outreach Church and Coffee Stop have closed.
Update
An East Palestine church pastor accused of sexual contact with an underage girl was back in court.
Rodney McManus, 49, who remains jailed on a $25,000 cash bond, was handcuffed and dressed in jail orange as he walked into the courtroom of Columbiana County Municipal Court Judge Mark Frost.
McManus was the pastor of the New Life Outreach Church in East Palestine and ran the local services out of The Coffee Stop that he owned until it abruptly closed in September.
McManus agreed to waive a preliminary hearing that was supposed to be held and would have allowed the alleged victim in the case to testify.
Instead, the case will head to the Columbiana County Grand Jury.
Assistant Columbiana County Prosecutor Alec Beech also told the judge there was a “typo” in the original criminal complaint that alleged this was an “attempted” act of unlawful sexual contact with a girl under the age of 16.
The judge agreed to remove the word “attempted” which makes the crime a more serious felony.
According to the criminal complaint, McManus became involved with a juvenile between the ages of 13 and 16 in 2013, and the alleged behavior went on for several years.
McManus is accused of touching the girl’s genital area and placed her hand on his genitals.
The judge made it clear that if McManus is able to make bond, he is to have no contact with the alleged victim in this case.
McManus was sentence to three years in prison for his crimes.
