Conservative Babylon

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. “Dolores Atwood … said that the abuse began when she was 14 and a patient in a hospital at Warri, Nigeria, in April 1983. … Ms Atwood, who now lives in Nova Scotia, Canada, said she believed she was ‘manipulated and controlled’ as a teenager. She said she eventually confessed the relationship to her husband because she was wracked with guilt. … Ms Atwood said that she had provided phone recordings, letters and airline tickets to church authorities as proof of their relationship.” Atwood also claims she knew Burke “was having relations with other young Nigerian girls,” including her youngest sister: “The ‘friendship’ between Bishop Burke and myself began to deteriorate as, once again, I started to become aware of other young girls that he was molesting. In fact, I suspect that Richard Burke has molested or sexually abused hundreds of young Nigerian girls during his time as a priest and Bishop in Nigeria.” 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 turned down the request, saying Lewis got house arrest 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 pled guilty to one count of second-degree grand larceny for stealing $432,000 from his church. “Dunne, who served as a priest for the church since 1991″ was “accused of stealing money from the church over a six year period from January 2002 to December 2007. Prosecutors say Dunne diverted money that was donated by parishioners for several church funds including a collection for Hurricane Katrina victims and a church building fund.” Richard Ferrante, Dunne’s attorney and a parishioner “conceded that his client had a gambling addiction and said Dunne was currently enrolled in an outpatient treatment program.” Dunne had pled 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. ” The alleged abuse happened in Albany’s Blessed Sacrament Parish back in the 1980s. The statute of limitations has long since passed. ‘They’ll refer this out for a criminal investigation but there will never be an arrest here, even if the police know that he did this, because it happened so long ago,’ says attorney John Aretakis, who has been pushing for years to have Rodino removed from the ministry.” Rodino’s “removal marks two dozen priests plucked from the Albany Diocese over similar allegations.” 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… The arrest came after an investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Unit and Computer Crimes Unit… A judge set Sorenson’s bail at $25,000.” 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. The acts took place about an hour before services began, either on his desk or a couch in the church office.” … “Delaware County Judge Alicia Littlefield sentenced Spires to a 20-year prison sentence with 10 years suspended on each count to be served concurrently, meaning he would be eligible for parole in 8 1/2 years. If convicted by a jury, he could have been sentenced to up to 200 years in prison — the full 20 years for each count. Spires was also fined $10,000 for victim’s compensation…” The victim “reportedly told police that Spires began to tell her that he loved her when she was in seventh grade and he was her youth pastor. After she broke off the relationship last November to date a high-school student, Spires began calling and sending her text messages” threatening suicide, and later “harm against her and her boyfriend.” Upon entering his plea, Spires claimed “he was deeply remorseful for hurting his wife and two small 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

Filed under: Black Collar Round-Ups