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.
Kevin Daniels, Sr., pastor of New Jerusalem Missionary Church in Fountain, Colorado, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a child he bribed with a Playstation and was sentenced last week to an indeterminate sentence of two years to life.
A southern Colorado pastor is accused of sexually assaulting a preteen over a months-long period.
Court papers obtained by 11 News states the abuse only stopped when the child alerted a school counselor, prompting an investigation.
The Fountain Police Department says it first learned of the allegations last week against Pastor Kevin Daniels Sr. of New Jerusalem Missionary Church. Daniels turned himself in Tuesday and bonded out of jail Wednesday night.
According to the arrest affidavit, the abuse began in February of this year. The affidavit alleges that Daniels started with hugging and tickling, which escalated to touching the child under their clothing with his hands and mouth. The child told police Daniels said not to tell anyone.
“[The victim] said Kevin would try and buy things and would give [the victim] money for things … [The victim] said he would do that when he touched [the victim].” – Excerpt from the arrest affidavit
Daniels allegedly gave the victim $20 on one occasion, and $100 on another. Another time, he offered to buy the child a PlayStation, the affidavit says.
The child came forward in mid-April.
The child’s mother told police she confronted Daniels one day before he turned himself in. Daniels allegedly claimed he was just tickling the child.
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Daniels faces charges of sexual assault on a child under 15 by one in a position of trust.
According to a bio on the church website, Daniels has been an ordained minister since 1999 and has been in the Colorado Springs area since 2009. The bio states he served as the Fountain Police Department chaplain; the police department confirms he held that role until last year.
Widefield School District 3 confirms Daniels worked as a bus driver for the district from May 2019 until December that same year.
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen 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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