Black Collar Crime Round-Up: January 21, 2011
Clifton Pelley • Matthew Porter
Because we could spend 24/7 tracking the sins 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.
Accused: Dustin Cassady, 29, Mormon priest (they all are at this age) of Carmichael, California (a suburb of Sacramento), who “told agents he worked with children at a Mormon Church in the area,” of distributing child pornography. We have much, much more information about Dustin Cassady (from his employer to when and where he was married to where he went on his two-year Mormon mission), but will wait to share everything until we have confirmation from the mainstream media that we do, indeed, have the right Dustin Cassady. Stay tuned. Story: News10.net, January 21, 2011
Accused: Timothy Gabriel, Anglican priest, Lagos, Nigeria, of attempting to rape a woman in her home. Vanguard reports that “Evangelist Timothy” “went on his knees begging profoundly while admitting that all the woman said was the truth. Upon insistence, he burst into tears lamenting; ‘My enemies have got hold of me.’” Story: Vanguard, January 17, 2011
Arrested: James Benjamin Harris, 33, Sunday school teacher, Brookwood Baptist Church, Lawrenceville, Georgia, and charged with “six felony counts of child molestation and one felony charge of enticing a child for indecent purposes” related to an ongoing sexual relationship with one of his students, a boy who was 14 when the alleged relationship began some three years ago. Story: WSB Radio, January 19, 2011
Preliminary hearing delayed: Clifton William Pelley, 45, former youth pastor, Braidwood Bible Chapel, Peterborough, Ontario, originally set for for December 9, 2010, pushed back to an unspecified date. Since Pelley’s arrest in July, 2010, when he was charged with “sexual assault and administering a noxious substance and overcoming resistance to commit a sexual assault” against a 19-year-old man, another four victims have come forward with claims of sexual assault. Reports the Peterborough Examiner: “Two men met Pelley through church groups when they were in their teens — one in 1985 at Braidwood Bible Chapel and the other between 1991 and 1993 at Awanas, a youth church group. Another man alleges there were incidents between January 1983 and December 1987. And another man is alleging there were incidents in November 1995.” As for the reason for the delay, “Crown attorney Paul Murray said that Pelley’s lawyer, who wasn’t in court Thursday, says he needs more disclosure.” Story: Conservative Babylon, November 15, 2010; Peterborough Examiner, January 20, 2011
Charged: Matthew Christopher Porter, 33, volunteer associate pastor, The Church at Granbury, Granbury, Texas, with felony “improper photography or visual recording,” or video voyeurism — that is, taking candid photos via a hidden camera — in a toilet at Harbor Lakes Plaza Nursing and Rehabilitation, a Forth Worth nursing home, where he acted as chaplain. This is not the first time Porter has been charged with such a crime; the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that “Porter moved to Texas to live with his mother after being arrested for video voyeurism in Manatee County. In July 2007, a housesitter found tapes of Bible study students, ages 12 to 16, in Porter’s home” in Florida. “The recordings, which took place over a period of two years, showed the juveniles undressing and changing in the home. … In 2008, Porter pleaded no contest to nine counts of misdemeanor voyeurism. During the plea agreement hearing, Porter asked for forgiveness.” Then youth pastor at Bethel Baptist Church, Bradenton, Florida, Porter could have received nine years in prison, but letters of support apparently softened his sentence to a mere 120 days and one year’s probation. Story: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, January 19, 2011; KDFW, January 19, 2011; Fort Worth Star-Telegram, January 20, 2011
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