Conservative Babylon

Ralph Lee Aaron • Archbishop Richard Burke
Cory Cortezis Lewis • Fr. Patrick Dunne
Fr. Joao Jose Correira Duarte, a.k.a. John Duarte
Fr. Salvatore “Sam” Rodino • Mark Sorenson
Joshua Spires • Peter Stibal

Because we could spend 24/7 tracking the crimes (especially sex crimes) of right-wing religionists (especially “youth pastors”) and never get caught up. Of the following, the more interesting cases will probably end up with their very own Conservative Babylon entries.

Charged: Ralph Lee Aaron, 54, pastor, Grace Christian Fellowship, Andalusia, Alabama, with three counts of first-degree sexual abuse, including first-degree sodomy, of a boy under 12, “the first of what is expected to be many other sex abuse charges.” Since Aaron’s arrest, Sheriff Dennis Meeks said “there are ‘multiple’ child victims in this ‘large-scale’ investigation.” Aaron is being held in the Covington County jail (accounts differ as to whether is being held with or without bond). Story: Andalusia Star-News, October 22, 2009; October 24, 2009; WSFA, October 26, 2009

Suspended: Archbishop Richard Burke, 60, Irish-born Roman Catholic archbishop, Archdiocese of Benin, Nigeria, from active service by the Vatican after being accused of “sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Africa before having a 20-year affair with her,” which continued after the woman’s 1994 marriage. The Vatican is investigating. Story: Dolores Atwood, June 23, 2009; Press Association, October 25, 2009; Irish Times, October 26, 2009; Catholic Review, October 26, 2009

Sentenced: Cory Cortezis Lewis, 35, pastor, Church of God by Faith, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to two years’ house arrest for impregnating his 15-year-old goddaughter (now 19 and the mother of their son). Lewis asked the judge in the case to send him to prison, because his house “is 700 feet from a bus stop, violating an ordinance to keep offenders beyond 1,400 feet.” The judge denied the request, reasoning that Lewis needed to be home “so he could support his seven children.” Meanwhile, the victim “said she would rather have his financial help than see him in jail.” Story: Sun-Sentinel, October 17, 2009; Gainesville.com, October 24, 2009

Convicted: Fr. Patrick Dunne, 63, former pastor, Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, White Plains, New York, who pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree grand larceny for stealing $432,000 — much of it earmarked to aid victims of Hurricane Katrina — from his church. Richard Ferrante, Dunne’s attorney and a parishioner, said Dunne is addicted to gambling. Dunne had pleaded not guilty in June, 2009. Sentencing is scheduled January 12, 2010. Story: WPIX, June 3, 2009; LoHud.com, October 20, 2009

Charged: Fr. Joao Jose Correira Duarte, a.k.a. John Duarte, 43, former priest, Ontario, and co-founder, “Windsor-based Hearts Together for Haiti charity, which is dedicated to ‘helping the Haitian community’ with educational and medical programs,” with twelve counts of sexually molesting “several Haitian boys … ages 12 to 17 as far back as 1995 when he ran an orphanage” in Port-au-Prince. Duarte is being held in a Dominican prison while awaiting extradition to Canada. Story: Windsor Star, October 22, 2009; Caribbean World News, October 23, 2009

On “administrative leave”: Fr. Salvatore “Sam” Rodino, 58, from his position as pastor, St. Jude the Apostle, Wynantskill, New York, “amid accusations” of sexually abusing a teenager 27 years ago. Rodino previously served at St. Bonaventure, Speigletown; St. Pius X, Loudonville; and St. Margaret Mary’s, Albany. Story: WTEN, October 26, 2009

Arrested: Mark Sorenson, 55, teacher at Paramus Catholic High School, New Jersey, “on charges he showed photos of naked adult women to a juvenile female during a tutoring session at her house.” Story: Star-Ledger, October 23, 2009

Sentenced: Joshua Spires, 28, former senior pastor, First Baptist Church of Jay, Oklahoma, to ten years after pleading guilty to ten counts of lewd molestation against a 15-year-old girl “every Sunday for a year at the church … either on his desk or a couch in the church office.” After the victim broke up with Spires, Spires “began calling and sending her text messages” threatening suicide, and later “harm against her and her boyfriend.” Spires is married with two young children. Story: Conservative Babylon, September 16, 2009; Associated Baptist Press, October 26, 2009

Charged: Peter Robert Stibal II, 44, scoutmaster, Boy Scout Troop 650, Burnsville, Minnesota; Eagle Scout; Catholic youth volunteer, Mary, Mother of the Church, Burnsville (where his “activities included chaperoning two mission trips to Mexico”); special-needs bus driver, First Student; with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct against three Boy Scouts under age 16 between 2002 and 2008, at Stibal’s “cabin near Paynesville, at his Burnsville home, at an Eagan movie theater, at a drive-in theater in Cottage Grove, and at scout camps in Stearns and Hubbard counties.” Since the original charges were laid, four more alleged victims have come forward. Stibal remains in jail on a $1 million bond. Story: Complaint, October 21, 2009; Star Tribune, October 22, 2009; October 23, 2009

Related posts (automatically generated):

1. Black Collar Sex Crime Round-Up: October 8, 2009
2. Black Collar Sex Crime Round-Up: September 16, 2009
3. Black Collar Sex Crime Round-Up: October 4, 2009
4. Black Collar Sex Crime Round-Up: October 5, 2009
5. Black Collar Sex Crime Round-Up: October 20, 2009

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