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.
James Marcus, pastor of Fairview Church of Christ in Milan, Tennessee, pleaded guilty this week to one count of aggravated sexual battery. Marcus was sentenced to eight years in prison for his crime.
A former pastor at a Gibson County church pleaded guilty this week to aggravated sexual battery of a child.
Court documents show James Marcus, 72, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated sexual battery of a child younger than 13 years old. As part of the plea agreement, Marcus will serve eight years in the Tennessee Department of Correction and must register as a sex offender for life.
Marcus entered the plea Monday, according to court documents.
Marcus served as a pastor at Fairview Church of Christ north of Milan.
He was arrested on the charges in May 2016 and admitted to investigators that he inappropriately touched a child over the course of four years until the victim was 10 years old, according to the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
William “Wes” Williamson, children’s pastor at Mount Gilead Baptist Church in Dothan, Alabama, stands accused of sexually abusing children under the age of twelve. Williamson’s name has already been removed from the church’s website. I just love the senior pastor’s statement, “This will not be a distraction—that’s what the Devil wants. God is sovereign and will seek his Glory.” Buddy, if this is not a distraction there’s something wrong with you, God or no God.
A former Mount Gilead Baptist Church children’s pastor faces three charges of sexually abusing children under the age of 12. William Wesley “Wes” Williamson was arrested Thursday.
Mount Gilead Senior Pastor Bradley Rushing said he was made aware of allegations involving Williamson several weeks ago. They were reported to authorities though they didn’t apparently involve sexual relations. He can’t speak to the investigation.
Williamson was placed on administrative leave. “He had zero contact with children from that point forward,” Rushing said. Williamson was terminated following his arrest Thursday.
Court records show there are two alleged victims.
“Mr. Williamson did not commit a crime. He did nothing that was illegal,” said defense attorney Thomas Smith. He and Co-counsel Shaun McGhee represent Williamson.
Smith continued, “Frankly we’re amazed that he was charged. Based upon what we know it’s hard to believe somebody can be charged with sexual abuse.”
He said the damage to his client is done even if he’s found not guilty. “This is a married man with seven children. He’s charged on the slimmest and most vague allegations I’ve ever seen. It’s ruined him.”
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Rushing said while the charges against Williamson are disturbing though he has no knowledge they’re factual. “This will not be a distraction—that’s what the Devil wants. God is sovereign and will seek his Glory.”
A status hearing has been scheduled for a former children’s minister charged with three counts of sex abuse of a child less than 12 years old.
William Wesley Williamson will go before Houston County Judge Benjamin Lewis May 1 at 9 a.m.
During the status hearing, Lewis will inform Williamson of his rights and the charges filed against him. Williamson will have the opportunity to request an attorney be appointed to represent him, or he will inform Lewis he has obtained an attorney.
A former children’s minister accused of sexual abuse against a child will not attend his preliminary hearing Friday.
William Wesley Williamson, 38, was arrested March 30 and charged with three counts of sex abuse of a child less than 12 years old. He served as the former pastor to children at Mt. Gilead Baptist Church on Brannon Stand Road.
Williamson’s attorney, Thomas Smith, said he does not feel it is necessary for his client to attend his preliminary hearing. Smith filed a motion earlier asking his clients’ presence be waived.
The preliminary hearing will determine if there is enough evidence to send Williamson’s case to a grand jury or to see if the charges will be dropped.
“This man is a father of seven children; four of those children are special needs children,” Smith said. “He is a poster man for being a caregiver to children, and he faces these charges.”
From Smith’s understanding, information listed on the warrant states Williamson brushed his hand against the clothing in the genital area of the victims, but no specific sex act is alleged.
During an April 4 press conference, Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza stated two additional allegations emerged against Williamson following his arrest. No additional charges have been filed against Williamson.
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.
Matthew “Denny” Patterson, pastor of Nolensville Road Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, has been indicted on eight counts of aggravated sexual battery. Most of the victims were young boys. Patterson was known in the area for his anti-LGBTQ crusading. With rapture-like speed, church leaders have scrubbed Patterson’s name from the Nolensville Road Baptist website. One news report states Patterson resigned from Nolensville Road Baptist last September and moved to Pennsylvania. He was arrested in Pennsylvania on March 8, 2018 and has since been extradited to Tennessee.
Adam Tamburin, a reporter for The Tennessean, writes:
Metro police have arrested a pastor accused of molesting several children across two decades while he was leader of a South Nashville congregation.
Matthew Dennis Patterson, known as Denny, served as pastor of Nolensville Road Baptist Church for more than 20 years. He resigned on Sept. 24.
Days later, members of the congregation came to the police precinct on Harding Place with complaints about his requests to “engage in strange activities” with children, authorities said.
Children at the church told adult members that Patterson had asked them to sit on his face and stomach, sometimes in their underwear, according to a police statement.
Detectives John Thomas and Jacob Masteller from the department’s Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Unit led the six-month investigation into the complaints.
After interviewing multiple church and staff members, police said the detectives identified multiple victims, most of them boys, who were molested from 1998-2017. Police did not say how old the children were at the time of the alleged abuse.
Patterson has been indicted on eight counts of aggravated sexual battery. Each count is linked to a different child, according to police.
Police said more charges relating to additional victims “are anticipated” as the investigation continues.
Nashville police arrested Patterson in Pennsylvania on March 8 — he refused to talk to investigators. Patterson was extradited to Nashville on Friday, and his bond was set at $100,000.
Leaders at Nolensville Road Baptist have been “fully cooperative” with the investigation, according to police.
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The church appeared to be growing — they bought a second house on an adjoining lot in March 2017 for $150,000, property records show. Patterson touted the purchase as a long-held dream on his Twitter account.
It is an Independent Fundamental Baptist church. In the church’s statement of faith, it cites the Bible as the only authority for faith and practice, belief in the sinful nature of man, biblical family roles and local church autonomy.
Patterson was a vocal opponent of anti-discrimination bills considered by the Metro Council in 2003. The measures were designed to protect jobs and housing for lesbian, gay and bisexual people.
“We want to make sure we keep the pressure on, let them know that anytime they bring this up, we’ll be down here to oppose it,” Patterson told The Tennessean in an article published Feb. 5, 2003.
Mention of Patterson was scrubbed from the church’s website after he left the church last year. But an archived version of nolensvilleroadbaptist.com includes a message from the former pastor welcoming visitors to Sunday and Wednesday services.
In the message, Patterson describes the church as “warm” and “friendly” and tells visitors to expect “soul-stirring music and Bible preaching.”
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The church’s website describes the church this way:
Thank you for visiting our website. We have tried to make this site as simple and friendly as possible. It is our desire to provide you with information about our church, as well as material that will be a blessing to you spiritually. We are an independent, fundamental, Baptist church. We use soul-stirring traditional music and the focal point in our services is the preaching of God’s Word. We use only the King James Version.
The church’s website has a message for visitors from Patterson (via The Wayback Machine):
As Pastor I want to take this opportunity to invite you to our church. We have a warm, friendly church, and you will feel more than welcome. We are always excited to see guests in our services.
We are a church that believes God is alive and Christ can still save those who turn to Him for salvation. At our church, Christ is the answer for every one of the problems of man [including molesting young boys?]. God stands with His hand stretched out to all people, and so does our church.
You will find soul-stirring music and Bible preaching in each of our services. On behalf of all our people, please accept my invitation to attend our services. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Pastor Denny Patterson
Psalm 19:14
The church’s about page states:
STILL CHURCH
Timeless or trendy? Malls are trendy. Church should feel timeless. With the forceful current of constant change sweeping over every part of our lives, people have the need to connect with something enduring and firm. We believe Christ designed the church to fulfill that need by representing an eternal kingdom and ageless truth with no need to imitate the culture. We want you to know there’s still a church that feels like church. It won’t feel like a rock concert, comedy club, or motivational seminar. It’s not old-fashioned as in 50 years ago. It’s timeless, as in 2000 years ago.
STILL PREACHING
Dynamic, passionate preaching straight from the Bible still brings more lasting change than comedy routines, drama, or motivational talks. Come discover the benefit of Biblical preaching.
STILL HYMNS
Most church music amounts to dumbing down the lyrics and cranking up the volume to build more interest. The hymns we sing still generate an attitude toward God that is anything but lifeless and boring.
STILL REVERENT
Casual is all the rage in American institutions, but God deserves better. While you won’t find a judgmental spirit here, you will find a place that still believes reverence is right for the presence of God.
STILL FAMILY
Our culture’s experiments with the family have left the American home in a mess. We still teach the biblical roles for the family as the best answer and our only hope for stable, unfulfilled homes.
STILL EXCITING
God doesn’t need the Top 40 or the latest fads to be exciting. We still enjoy several timeless practices that stir the soul in a way that strobe lights and dancing in the aisles can never manufacture.
Nolensville Road Baptist Church is an Independent, Fundamental, Baptist church located in Nashville, TN. Our church is easily accessible from anywhere in the greater Nashville area. Our church facilities are located on the South side of Nashville, and we are close to I-24, I-65, and I-40.
And yet for all these “still” statements, the church “still” had a predatory child molester in its midst.
A Channel 5 news report adds:
The indictments stated one of the victims was abused over a six year period.
Another indictment said that between April 6, 2007 and April 6, 2013, Patterson “did intentionally engage in unlawful sexual contact with N.B. (d.o.b. 04-06-2002).”
Officials with the Metro Nashville Police Department said he molested at least eight children over the course of more than 20 years as pastor of Nolensville Road Baptist Church in south Nashville.
Patterson reportedly resigned on September 24, 2017 and moved to Pennsylvania.
Church members learned of the allegations the following day, according to a statement, and reported it to police after speaking with Patterson and obtaining his cell phone and laptop to give to detectives.
A mother of three, who had attended the church on and off for two years, said she did not suspect Patterson of being an alleged molester.
“I didn’t at first but when I look back at it, it kind of makes sense after watching some of the behavior and movements toward certain people now,” said the mother who chose not to reveal her identity.
She added that Patterson event attended her three-year-old daughter’s birthday once, although she does not believe she was abused.
“I can’t really talk to a three-year-old about it because they don’t understand what’s going on. You get scared wondering if it was your child,” she said.
Church members came to the South Precinct to report that children were saying Patterson had them engage in strange activities with him, including sitting on his face and stomach, sometimes in their underwear.
The church spokesperson said in a statement, “Nolensville Road Baptist Church want to let our community know that the sinful actions of one man does not reflect upon church as a whole. We remain committed to truth, transparency in all our operations, and for the care and support for the victims and family who have been victimized by alleged perpetrator.”
A former Tennessee pastor accused of molesting several children while he was a Nashville church leader has pleaded not guilty at his first court appearance.
The Tennessean reports a public defender accepted the case against Matthew Dennis Patterson and entered a not guilty plea on his behalf Wednesday.
….
Police say investigators identified at least eight victims, most of them boys, who were molested from 1998 to 2017.
Patterson has been indicted on eight counts of aggravated sexual battery. More charges related to additional victims are expected.
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.
Jeff Rolen, pastor of Highlands Fellowship in Wise, Virginia, was arrested today of accusations of sex crimes against a child. Highland wasted no time in scrubbing Rolen from its existence.
The former pastor of an area church. accused of sex crimes against a child, is being held without bond in Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Duffield, VA.
Jeff Rolen, campus pastor of Highlands Fellowship in Wise, VA is charged with 10 counts of indecent liberties with a child. The alleged incidents occurred more than 30 years ago.
investigators say the alleged incidents took place between January 1985 and end of December 1987.
According to indictments obtained by News Channel 11, if convicted Rolen faces a maximum of 5 years behind bars on each count. News Channel 11 obtained a letter sent to members of Highlands Fellowship.
It said part, “We are saddened to share Jeff Rolen, campus pastor at Wise, VA has been arrested, late yesterday. We learned of his arrest and charges regarding inappropriate relations with a minor prior to his employment with Highlands Fellowship.”
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Highlands Fellowship released the following statement:
We are saddened to share that Jeff Rolen, Campus Pastor at Wise, Virginia has been arrested. Late yesterday, we learned of his arrest and charges regarding inappropriate relations with a minor prior to his employment with Highlands Fellowship.
Preemployment background checks did not reveal any issues.
The Church only has limited information about the situation at this time. However, given the seriousness of the allegations, we have released Mr. Rolen from his position here at Highlands. We are also leaving Camp Bethel as a church site.
We ask you to pray for all those affected by this situation, the Wise Community, and our church family. Please refrain from gossip so we do not cause further harm to anyone involved. As followers of Christ, we must trust God to provide guidance and healing to move forward.
We will have Easter service this Sunday for our Wise Campus at the Inn at Wise at 11 am. Mark Estepp will speak live with acoustic music. The Good Friday service in Wise is cancelled and we encourage our Wise members to attend the service at our Abingdon campus.
God is in control and we can find comfort in His words. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 NIV
Jim Fleming, Executive Pastor,Steven Davidson, Operations Pastor
In December 2017, someone on a public forum alleged that Rolen was having an inappropriate relationship with a church member. I have no idea whether the accusation is true. One person made a resolute defense of Rolen:
How dare you accuse one of the best men to ever walk in this area of such bullcrap. Are you feeling guilty about something yourself to go and accuse a true man of God who has done nothing but help the youth and young adults in this area? Jeff not only runs Camp Bethel, he is also one of the first on the scene of accidents, i.e. house fires, natural disasters etc. Even going as far as Texas and Florida to help rebuild damaged homes. Go and pick on someone else, nobody believes any of the lies you are trying to spread. God will deal with you, I pray.
I wonder if her opinion has changed since Rolen’s arrest?
WCYB-5 reports that Rolen had been granted bail, pending his August trial date:
A pastor and youth camp director accused of sexual misconduct with a minor has been released on bail pending trial.
Camp Bethel executive director Jeff Rolen pleaded not guilty in court Monday to 10 counts of taking indecent liberties with a child.
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The charges in the case date back to the mid-1980s, but a Virginia State Police investigator said in court Monday they were discovered while looking into more recent allegations. The investigator testified that during the execution of a search warrant last week at Rolen’s home and the camp, authorities found board minutes in which Rolen confessed to a sexual relationship from 1985 to 1987 with a female camper.
Rolen’s daughter also took the stand, standing by her father’s civic work in the community. The Wise County Chamber of Commerce honored Rolen as the county’s Citizen of the Year in 2014. News 5 spoke with Rolen’s attorney after the hearing who encouraged the public not to rush to judgment, saying there is a whole lot more to the story.
The attorney said Rolen has been suspended as Camp Bethel executive director. Last week, Highlands Fellowship released a statement stating Rolen had been removed from his position as pastor of its Wise campus.
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.
According to a blockbuster report in The Guardian, over one-hundred people have contacted the newspaper with allegations of sexual abuse in Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations.
More than 100 people have contacted the Guardian with allegations of child sexual abuse and other mistreatment in Jehovah’s Witness communities across the UK.
Former and current members, including 41 alleged victims of child sexual abuse, described a culture of cover-ups and lies, with senior members of the organisation, known as elders, discouraging victims from coming forward for fear of bringing “reproach on Jehovah” and being exiled from the congregation and their families.
A Guardian investigation also heard from 48 people who experienced other forms of abuse, including physical violence when they were children, and 35 who witnessed or heard about others who were victims of child grooming and abuse.
The stories told to the Guardian ranged from events decades ago to more recent, and many of those who came forward have now contacted the police.
They told the Guardian about:
An organisation that polices itself and teaches members to avoid interaction with outside authorities.
A rule set by the main governing body of the religion that means for child sexual abuse to be taken seriously there must be two witnesses to it.
Alleged child sex abuse victims claiming they were forced to recount allegations in front of their abuser.
Young girls who engage in sexual activity before marriage being forced to describe it in detail in front of male elders.
A solicitor representing some of the alleged victims said she believed there were thousands of complainants in the UK and that the people who have contacted the Guardian were “just the tip of the iceberg”.
One alleged victim, Rachel Evans, who has waived her right to anonymity, claimed there was a paedophile ring active in the 1970s, although details of the case cannot be divulged due to a current investigation.
“Within the Jehovah’s Witnesses there is an actual silencing and also a network where if someone went to the elders and said ‘there is a problem with this’ and they believe you, the whole thing will be dealt with in-house. But often these people are not dealt with, they are either moved to another congregation or told to keep their head down for a few years,” she said.
Another victim, who did not want to be named, said she was abused by a ministerial servant (someone with congregational responsibilities) in the organisation in the 1970s.
“I was sexually abused many times a week from the age of three until I was 12. Congregation elders knew that when I told them, at 12, what had been happening. No steps were taken to tell the police. I had to tell three male senior figures what had happened. Imagine that? A young girl telling a bunch of men what this man did to me. I wasn’t even allowed to have my mother there with me.”
After she went to the police about what had happened, the person who abused her pleaded guilty and was eventually convicted. “The Jehovah’s Witnesses should lose their charity status as they are not protecting children,” she added. She said she had mental health issues as a result of what happened and how it was dealt with.
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When a Jehovah’s Witness experiences sexual abuse they are supposed to report it to elders, who are always men, who will take further action if there is a second witness to the offence. The perpetrator will then be called before a judicial committee if they admit abuse or if there is a second witness.
“This causes further trauma to the victim and coupled with the two-witness rule, is undoubtedly the reason that so many victims have never reported it,” said Kathleen Hallisey, senior solicitor in the abuse team at Bolt Burdon Kemp, who is currently acting on behalf of 15 alleged victims.
She also noted that the problem with the two-witness rule in the context of sexual abuse was that there were rarely witnesses to it, “meaning that [these] reports … are usually dismissed”.
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The Charity Commission launched an investigation in 2013 looking into the Manchester New Moston congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, concluding that it did not deal adequately with allegations of child abuse made against one of the trustees.
The commission is still running an inquiry into the main government body of the group, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Britain. This is examining the child safeguarding policy and procedures further.
Following the investigation into the Manchester New Moston congregation last year, the Watch Tower changed its policy so that victims are no longer required to confront their abuser face to face.
A former elder, who was asked to investigate a child abuse case in 2007, claimed he was urged not to contact the police, although it was decided that the perpetrator should not be assigned to work with children.
However, the then elder – who left in 2012 over how the case was handled – said that this rule was not followed by everyone and when he raised this as a concern he was told to back off.
“I hugely regret the fact that I wasn’t able to do anything at the time and I didn’t have the strength. And that lives with me,” he said.
Other former Jehovah’s Witnesses told how they were forced to share personal sexual experiences at a young age, after breaking rules set by the religion.
One woman, who wished to be anonymous, was called to a meeting with elders after she had sex at 15, which goes against the rule of no sex before marriage. “This meeting was three older men and me, a scared 15-year-old, who had just had sex for the first time. They had to know all the details before they chose my punishment,” she said.
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.
Trevor Worthington, his son Philip, and William Tomkinson — all members (soldiers) of the Salvation Army — have been found guilty of sexually abusing young girls.
The Global Beacon reports:
“Three men who were members of the Salvation Army – including a father and son – have been found guilty of sexually abusing young girls.
Trevor Worthington, 88, his son Philip Worthington, 64, and William Tomkinson, 70, were convicted of charges including indecent assault and attempted rape.
The assaults against two victims took place in the 1970s and 1980s, Preston Crown Court heard on Thursday.
Another man, Derek Smith, 68, admitted indecent assault at an earlier hearing.
The abuse took place in a number of locations around Blackpool, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.
William Tomkinson first abused one of the girls in the 1970s when she was 11 years old.
He was treasurer for the Salvation Army at the time.
Philip Worthington began to abuse the same girl when she was 13 years old and Derek Smith abused her when she was 14.
When the victim told Trevor Worthington about the abuse, including that his son had been one of the perpetrators, Worthington himself began abusing her, the CPS said.
During a police investigation into the first victim’s allegations, a second victim came forward to report that Tomkinson and Philip Worthington had sexually abused her in the 1980s, from when she was 15 years old.
Sophie Rozdolskyj, from the CPS, said: “These men abused their positions of high standing in the community to take advantage of two young and trusting girls.”
The men will be sentenced at a future date.
Dean Juster, director of the Salvation Army’s Safeguarding, apologised to the victims and said the organisation was “deeply concerned” that the assaults took place.
“As soon as we were made aware of the charges the action we took was to suspend the three individuals from our organisation. We worked closely with the police and provided access to our internal investigation records.
“We have listened carefully to this case and whilst we followed internal processes we had in place at the time we will ensure that we learn from any lessons in this case.”
Dean Juster, Director of The Salvation Army’s Safeguarding Department, said: “We unreservedly apologise for the pain the victims have suffered and our thoughts are firmly with them and their families. We are deeply concerned that these assaults took place and we hope that today’s guilty verdict will be a small step on a journey of healing for them.” “As soon as we were made aware of the charges the action we took was to suspend the three individuals from our organisation. We worked closely with the police and provided access to our internal investigation records. We have listened carefully to this case and whilst we followed internal processes we had in place at the time we will ensure that we learn from any lessons in this case. “We fully understand that it takes a lot of courage to come forward and we would like to reassure the public that any concerns they have around safeguarding will be investigated thoroughly and we will actively encourage victims to share their experiences with the police at the earliest possible stage, to ensure they have every opportunity to be heard.”
Trevor Worthington, 88, of Mayfield Avenue, Thornton, was found guilty of indecent assault by a majority jury after 21 hours of deliberations at Preston Crown Court. His son Philip Worthington, 64, of Warwick Place, Blackpool, was found guilty of seven indecent assaults. William Tompkinson, 70, of Raleigh Drive, South Shore – a married man who had been the treasurer of the Citadel – was convicted of 10 offences of indecent assault in the early 1970s. A fourth man – Derek Jeffrey Smith, 67, of Hall Park Drive, Lytham – previously admitted indecent assault.
The men were all members – known as ‘soldiers’ – of the Salvation Army. Sophie Rozdolskyj, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “These men abused their positions of high standing in the community to take advantage of two young and trusting girls. “Three of the men consistently denied the allegations throughout the investigation and prosecution. However the CPS presented a strong case to the jury which included compelling evidence from the two women who were abused by these men. “I would like to pay tribute to them for coming forward and giving their evidence to the court.” Earlier in the case Richard Haworth, prosecuting, said the first victim, now in her 50s, was abused from the age of 11 by the defendants.
Tompkinson was accused of fondling the girl during a van journey, with the seriousness of his acts progressing over time. When the girl turned 13 it was alleged Philip Worthington, who was also married, started abusing her, giving her lifts in his sports car. It was claimed when the girl turned to Trevor Worthington to confide in him about the abuse by the other two men he perpetrated abuse on her in his car. Another complainant came forward when the matters were being investigated by Lancashire Police. Mr Haworth said: “Philip Worthington would approach her from behind, grab her and molest her. This carried on for a number of years, culminating in an incident on a car park when he sexually assaulted her.”
William Russell Tomkinson, of Raleigh Avenue, Blackpool, was sentenced to four years in prison for 10 counts of indecent assault. Philip Worthington, of Warwick Place, Blackpool, was convicted of four counts of indecent assault, indecency with a child and two attempted rape of the first woman, and five counts of indecent assault of the second woman. He was sentenced to eight years and three months in prison. Trevor Worthington, of Mayfield Avenue, Thornton, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for one count of indecent assault. Smith, of Hall Park Drive, Lytham, was given a 15 months sentence, suspended for two years with supervision, and must do 100 hours of unpaid work. Tomkinson, Smith and Trevor Worthington were placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. Philip Worthington was placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely. All four men were given restraining orders banning them from contacting their victims.
Investigating officer Simon Morris, of Lancashire Constabulary’s public protection unit, said:
These men completely abused the trust that was placed in them, as members of the Salvation Army. To the outside world they appeared to be upstanding members of the church – when in fact they were anything but. Tomkinson, Smith and Philip Worthington sexually exploited their victim for their own satisfaction. When she eventually confided in Trevor Worthington – a man she ought to have been able to trust – he did not help her, instead using the opportunity to abuse her himself. The victims in this case have shown great courage in coming forward and reporting what happened to them more than 40 years ago and there is no doubt the abuse they suffered has had a lasting effect on them. I hope today’s sentence brings some comfort and allows them to move on with their lives.
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.
Last week, an Ohio appeals court overturned the child rape conviction of IFB preacher Richard Mick. Mick was, at the time of his conviction, the pastor of Lighthouse Baptist Church in Sandusky, Ohio.
An Ohio appeals court said a Sandusky pastor previously sentenced to life in prison for child rape must receive a new trial.
Richard Mick, 56, who was sentenced in Erie County Common Pleas Court in 2016, had his conviction overturned Friday by the Sixth District Court of Appeals. A jury originally found Mick guilty of four felony charges of rape and gross sexual imposition.
Mick, formerly a pastor at Lighthouse Baptist Church, appealed his conviction after his trial was notably marked by his then-attorney K. Ronald Bailey refusing to participate in the trial.
Bailey, in 2016, argued the trial should have been delayed, and Judge Roger Binette held him in contempt of court after Bailey told Binette he was “not participating” in the trial. Bailey eventually served a 30-day sentence in the Erie County jail for the contempt charge.
Bailey did not respond to requests for comment Friday afternoon.
Mick’s appeal, filed by his new Cleveland-based attorney, Russell Bensing, alleged Bailey’s refusal to participate in the trial violated his right to effective counsel, according to the appeal.
The appeals court agreed with Mick, according to a court opinion written by Judge Thomas Osowik.
“Although Mick could have waived his constitutional right to counsel, the record shows he did not,” Osowik said.
There are not any court dates set following the overturned conviction Friday.
Mick has another pending court case in Erie County Common Pleas Court, where he faces more counts of gross sexual imposition, according to court records. He has a pretrial in that case set for May 16.
An October 5, 2016, Sandusky Register report stated:
The long-delayed trial of a Sandusky pastor accused of sexually abusing children got off to a rocky start Tuesday when his attorney refused to participate altogether, and then defied the presiding judge.
The trial for Richard Mick, 55, of Lighthouse Baptist Church, is slated to resume Wednesday morning before Erie County Common Pleas Judge Roger Binette, but it remains to be seen just how the proceedings will unfold.
Soon after jury selection began on Tuesday, defense attorney K. Ron Bailey refused to participate and said he does not intend to do so for the duration of the trial.
“I’ve been practicing for over 33 years and I’ve never done this before, but, Your Honor, defense counsel cannot and will not be able nor willing to proceed today,” Bailey told Binette.
Despite Bailey’s actions, Erie County Assistant Prosecutor Aaron Lindsey said he will continue prosecuting the case as normal.
“We’re moving forward with the case,” Lindsey told the Register.
The trial could take up to two weeks, but will be decidedly one-sided if Bailey continues on this course. If he does, witnesses may not be cross-examined, evidence may not be presented in Mick’s defense, and defense witnesses may not be called at all.
In the meantime, prosecutors will continue seeking a conviction against the pastor, who’s facing a potential sentence of life imprisonment. Mick is accused of raping an approximately 8-year-old girl — and fondling an approximately 8-year-old boy — over a decade ago.
Bailey’s refusal to participate at trial seems to revolve around a few specific issues.
Last week, he filed two motions with the court — one asking that the trial be delayed, and one asking Binette to recuse himself.
According to court documents, Bailey asked for a delay for essentially three reasons:
•He had to travel out-of-state for his son’s wedding over the weekend.
•Mick had been ill recently.
•He hadn’t been able to fully investigate new accusations that Mick sexually assaulted another child. (Allegations that led to eight new indictments being leveled by a grand jury in August).
Bailey’s request came after more than two years worth of delays in the case. On previous occasions, he asked for the trial to be pushed back for a myriad of reasons, including Mick being ill, parking issues near the courthouse due to Ohio Bike Week, and not having enough time to prepare, according to court documents.
Binette ultimately denied Bailey’s new request for another delay, and ordered the trial move forward as planned on Tuesday.
Binette also denied Bailey’s request to recuse himself, which was, in part, predicated on Binette’s refusal to delay the case yet again.
Bailey also told the Register that the primary reason he wasn’t participating in Mick’s current jury trial is because no ruling had been made regarding an expert witness’s testimony.
“The biggest thing is…the motion…that was filed back in August hasn’t been ruled on yet,” he said Tuesday afternoon.
Binette, however, ruled on that motion Tuesday morning following a heated exchange with Bailey in the courtroom, court records state.
After Bailey declared his intentions not to participate during jury selection, Binette told Bailey and Lindsey to return to their seats and step away from his bench.
“You may step back, you are excused,” Binette told the men.
Lindsey retreated, but Bailey stayed put and cut the judge off.
“I was talking about—” he said.
“You may step back,” Binette said, firmly.
The exchange repeated itself, and Bailey again interrupted.
“I know I may but I won’t…” Bailey responded.
At that point, Binette ordered the jurors out of the room and warned Bailey for contempt of court.
“Counsel, this court said ‘Step back’ (and) you said ‘you may but you weren’t’. Further activity like that will be held in direct contempt of court and the court will sanction appropriately,” Binette said before resuming proceedings.
The jury selection process then continued where it left off — but Bailey refused to chime in each time he was given the opportunity.
“We’re not participating,” he said multiple times. “I previously told you that I won’t participate in this trial and I’m sticking to that.”
Bailey argued that continuing with the trial “would violate Reverend Mick’s rights to guaranteed due process.”
….
An August 31, 2016 Sandusky Register report stated:
Just weeks ahead of his trial for other alleged child sex crimes, a local pastor was indicted yet again — this time for allegedly touching a five-year-old boy.
Pastor Richard Mick, 55, of the Lighthouse Baptist Church, was indicted this month on eight felony counts of gross sexual imposition.
It marks the fourth time since 2012 Mick has been accused of child sexual abuse.
The alleged victim in this case, like the previous cases, was a member of Mick’s Cleveland Road church, police say.
The boy, now 15, told investigators Mick inappropriately touched him on multiple occasions about a decade ago.
“He said he used to get in trouble at the church and Mr. Mick would talk to him alone in his office,” Sandusky police Detective Ken Nixon said.
It was during those meetings Mick allegedly touched the boy.
“He recently had to talk to some counselors and disclosed this to them. The counselor passed it on to police and Children Services,” Nixon said.
The boy’s story is similar to the accounts of two other children (now teenagers), who each alleged Mick abused them at the church when they were about eight years old.
One of the alleged victims in that case said she was raped by Mick, and the other alleged victim said he was fondled by the pastor.
Mick was indicted for both of those incidents in 2014, and his jury trial is now scheduled for October 6.
The pastor was accused of raping another girl back in 2012, but Erie County prosecutors dropped that case, saying they could not prove it beyond a reasonable doubt, according to court records.
When the Register contacted Mick’s defense attorney, K. Ronald Bailey, for comment, he did not address Mick’s eight new indictments directly. He did, however, point to a lie detector test Mick underwent for the 2014 case.
“He has passed polygraph examinations showing that the allegations are false,” Bailey stated.
Bailey asked for those results to be included in Mick’s upcoming trial, but polygraph exams are generally inadmissible, and a judge denied his motion.
The most recent allegations against Mick surfaced in early July, after the boy’s counselor reached out to local authorities.
The boy was then interviewed on July 22, and the case was presented to an Erie County grand jury, which opted to level eight new indictments against the pastor.
….
An October 7, 2016 Sandusky Register report stated:
A Sandusky pastor was convicted of child rape and sentenced to life in prison Friday at the conclusion of a tumultuous trial.
A jury found Richard Mick, 55, of Lighthouse Baptist Church, guilty on four felony counts, two of which carried a mandatory life sentence.
Mick raped a young girl on two occasions, and fondled a young boy multiple times. Both were members of his church.
“A pastor is (supposed) to take care of his flock,” Erie County Common Pleas Court Judge Roger Binette told Mick. “You didn’t do that.”
He called Mick a “wolf in sheep’s clothing,” before handing down the sentence.
“They thought you were protecting them and you weren’t. You were harming them,” Binette said.
Mick received a life sentence for raping the girl and an additional five years for victimizing the boy.
Two other alleged victims testified at trial this week, detailing other alleged abuse they said they sustained at Mick’s hands.
The pastor is facing eight additional counts of gross sexual imposition for one of those cases, which is still pending. Over the coming months, Mick will likely be shuttled back to Erie County to answer for those alleged crimes.
“This trial has been about courage, the courage of four young adults to come forward and share their inner demons,” said assistant Erie County prosecutor Aaron Lindsey during his closing arguments Friday morning.
The jury ultimately agreed with prosecutors. They returned with guilty verdicts after less than two hours of deliberation.
The defense strategy of Mick’s attorney, K. Ronald Bailey, was highly unusual. He refused to participate in the trial, and essentially argued no case on his client’s behalf. Local officials said they’d never witnessed anything like it.
Jack Hyles, David Hyles, Jim Krall, World’s Greatest Men
A friend of mine sent me links to several old news stories from 1993 about Jack and David Hyles. Jack Hyles was the pastor of First Baptist Church in Hammond, Indiana, and his son David was the church’s youth director. David would later be shipped out of town in the dead of night, left to prey on more young women at Miller Road Baptist Church in Garland, Texas (a church formerly pastored by Jack Hyles).
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.
Evangelical youth pastor Roshad Thomas was sentenced to 25 years in prison after being found guilty of “eight counts of 2nd degree felony lewd and lascivious molestation with a victim over 12 under 18, one count of 2nd degree felony lewd or lascivious exhibition, and one count of 3rd degree felony of aggravated assault with the intent to commit a felony.” Roshad Thomas was a youth pastor at Calvary Chapel in Tallahassee, Florida. I was not able to verify if this Calvary Chapel in Tallahassee previously employed Thomas. I did find via the Wayback Machine that this church went through a lot of leadership churn over the past decade. At the end of this post, I’ve attached several screenshots of Thomas’s LinkedIn page. I suspect that the aforementioned Calvary Chapel church was indeed where Thomas was a volunteer youth pastor.
A former Tallahassee youth pastor accused of molesting at least 10 minors has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Roshad Thomas was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison followed by probation for the rest of his life.
He will also be required to register as a sexual predator.
Thomas took an open plea on eight counts of 2nd degree felony lewd and lascivious molestation with a victim over 12 under 18, one count of 2nd degree felony lewd or lascivious exhibition, and one count of 3rd degree felony of aggravated assault with the intent to commit a felony.
He was arrested in July 2017 on six counts of sex offense against a child. Thomas later picked up four additional charges when more victims came forward.
The victims’ ages ranged from 11 to 16 years old.
According to his LinkedIn page, Thomas served as a youth pastor at Calvary Chapel Tallahassee for more than 13 years.
Shocking details are being revealed about a man who worked with local children.
The Leon County Sheriff’s Office arrested 41-year-old Roshad Thomas on six counts of sex offense against a child.
Thomas is a former youth pastor at a Tallahassee church, who, until recently, was a contracted employee at Maclay School.
A school official tells WTXL Thomas is a former member of the Maclay School faculty. He taught Life Management in the Upper School during the 2016-2017 school year.
Although these allegations of abuse are just coming out, a victim who spoke with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office said it happened about a decade ago. The victim told detectives they’d been fondled by Thomas when they were 13 years old.
However, as detectives investigated, they found four more victims. Deputies say each one described sexual encounters with Thomas that happened from 2007-2014.
According to the affidavit, five victims reported on numerous instances that Thomas invited the victims to his apartment. At the time, the victims’ ages ranged from 13 to 16 years old.
According to the document, it was common that the victims would be invited back to Thomas’s apartment to “hang out”. Once there, the victims were fondled and touched inappropriately at Thomas’s apartment.
One victim described Thomas as their mentor, telling investigators that they looked up to him and even “worshiped” him.
When Thomas was interviewed he admitted to fondling all five victims above and below their clothing.
He told investigators that it was an attempt to connect intimately, but not sexually.
After speaking to detectives on Monday, he was taken to jail.
….
In July 2017, Thomas posted the following to Instagram:
Sorry to those I haven’t had the chance to tell this face-to-face but this is my last week living in Tallahassee. I have accepted a job as Vice President of student programs for a nonprofit organization in Ft Lauderdale Florida. I chose to post this picture because this is my mom dropping me off in Tallahassee in 1993. I had no idea then how much God would use this city to change my life. (yes, that is a Miami shirt I am wearing.) Tallahassee is where I fell in love with Jesus, the NOLES, and all of you. This was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make but I know that our time on earth is limited. Whatever amount of time he chooses to give me here I want to spend being more and more like Jesus everyday and making maximum impact for the Gospel. Thanks for all the love and trust you have given me and I pray that I go on to do things that make you proud to say you know me. I won’t be a stranger. I will come back and visit often. I pray, with all my heart, that everyone reading this will be in heaven with me one day and we will hangout forever. Until then! In the words of one of my favorite songs. “I have decided to follow Jesus no turning back, no turning back.” I love you all so much!
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 DeLand Jr. a Catholic priest in the Saginaw, Michigan area, stands accused of sexually assaulting children.
Michael Kransz, a reporter for Michigan Live, writes:
Investigators say nearly half a dozen people have come forward with stories of alleged sexual abuse, attempted or otherwise, at the hands of a Mid-Michigan priest charged this week with sexual assault.
Some of the new allegations against the Rev. Robert DeLand Jr., 71, date back nearly three decades, and all of them involve people who were minors at the time and accessed through DeLand’s role as a priest, said Tittabawassee Township Detective Brian Berg.
Apart from one female, most of the alleged victims are male, Berg said.
“We want to encourage these victims to know that we’re going to hear them, we’re going to listen and we’re going to leave no stone unturned,” Berg said. “No one is going to stand alone in this anymore.”
In addition to victim statements, Berg said police are receiving “dozens and dozens” of tips about the Freeland pastor since his arrest Sunday night, Feb. 25, at his Saginaw Township condominium on Mallard Cove.
“We’re trying to get our hands around the enormity of it and put it into some kind of logical order,” the detective said.
Saginaw Township Police Chief Donald Pussehl said his office has since received five calls regarding DeLand’s “questionable behavior” in the past.
“Throughout the years, some of the things he would do with young boys, such as inviting them to his home, was somewhat strange,” Pussehl said, relaying the callers’ concerns.
Chris Pham, a spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw, said the diocese is unaware of any past accusations against DeLand.
….
DeLand’s arrest, and subsequent charges of sexual assault, came after Tittabawassee and Saginaw townships finished their months-long investigations into allegations of sex crimes involving alcohol, drugs and underage boys.
Separate cases, similar situations
Although the cases were separate, one involving a 21-year-old man and another a 17-year-old male, they were similar in DeLand’s alleged predatory tactics, said Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Gaertner.
“There was a number of grooming techniques that were used to befriend the victim, to prey on the victim’s weaknesses and to lure the victim to the residence on Mallard Cove,” Gaertner said Monday. “That was quite similar to the same techniques used in the case where he was arrested last night.”
That incident involved the 17-year-old victim.
The alleged criminal acts involve attempted or actual, unwanted sexual contact.
DeLand, known to some as “Father Bob,” held a variety of positions at numerous parishes and Catholic schools in the Saginaw and Bay City areas since he was ordained in 1973, according to Pham.
DeLand’s tenure at St. Agnes in Freeland began in July 2011. Before that, Pham said, he served as pastor at St. James Parish in Bay City from July 2005 until July 2011. During that time, he was chaplain of All Saints High School.
Following the criminal accusations, DeLand was placed on administrative leave, according to a diocese statement.
….
Saginaw Township’s investigation began after a 21-year-old man reported in August that DeLand made unwanted, sexual advances on him while the pair were together at the pastor’s Mallard Cove condominium.
“Because of alcohol use, it did go further than what the victim had ever thought it would go,” Pussehl said.
Pussehl said the pair became acquainted through secular circumstances.
In November, parents of a 17-year-old male doing court-ordered community service with DeLand voiced concerns about the pastor’s behavior to Tittabawasee Township police.
“His parents were very concerned that he was grooming their son and touching him inappropriately and buying things for him and spending a tremendous amount of time with him,” Berg said.
Some of the alleged instances took place at the condominium, and others in DeLand’s residence in the church rectory, Berg said.
Berg took those concerns to the Saginaw County Prosecutor’s Office, where he learned of the Saginaw Township investigation. The 17-year-old agreed to help investigators by going undercover, ultimately leading to DeLands arrest.
DeLand was charged with attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct and gross indecency between males in the Saginaw Township case. Both are five-year felonies.
A teen is suing a Saginaw-area priest, accusing him of “grooming” the high school student with gifts and invitations to his condo, leading to inappropriate contact including back rubs, groping and suggestions to view gay porn.
The Rev. Robert DeLand was charged last month with criminal sexual conduct following accusations from two males, ages 17 and 21. Police say they have received other complaints since his arrest.
The 71-year-old priest is on administrative leave from St. Agnes in Freeland, where he has had been pastor since July 2011, the Catholic Diocese of Saginaw reported. The suit also names the diocese and its leader, Bishop Joseph Cistone, claiming steps weren’t taken to stop the cleric or look into allegations about DeLand’s conduct.
DeLand allowed the 17-year-old he met last year to perform community service at the church that the youth was ordered to complete over six months, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court.
When the youth returned to school that fall, the pastor was a volunteer “greeter” there, participated in school events and “engaged in a systematic pattern of ‘grooming’ behavior …, targeting the minor child, gaining his trust and/or providing him with gifts and favors,” attorney Todd J. Weglarz wrote.
Over time, DeLand took the student out of class to talk; bought him an expensive “vape” machine; invited the teen to his home to smoke; and “made inappropriate physical contact … during the school day, including back rubs, hugs and groping of the buttocks,” the court filing read. The priest also allegedly paid for his therapy to help deal with a friend’s suicide, texted or called him up to 17-20 times a day, then encouraged the student “to view large quantities of gay pornography,” according to the document.
DeLand invited the teen to his Saginaw Township condo last month to “party,” but that day, the cleric touched him “inappropriately, groping and fondling his crotch and buttocks, feet and toes,” the suit asserts.
The priest was charged Feb. 26 with one count each of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and gross indecency between male persons. He also was charged with one count of attempted second-degree criminal sexual conduct/personal injury for an incident involving a 21-year-old, 70th District Court records show.
DeLand, who has been ordered by the court during the Feb. 26 hearing to wear an electronic tether and have no contact with anyone under age 21, could not be reached Monday.
His attorney and diocese representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit, which seeks at least $75,000 in damages, contends DeLand abused his position while Catholic Diocese of Saginaw leaders failed to properly investigate allegations he abused the teen as well as others, “which created a climate whereby boundary violations and inappropriate sexual misconduct directed towards children and were permitted, condoned and encouraged,” Weglarz said.
