Originally posted by Adam_PoE
Jackson Gatlin, dressed in a dark suit with his hands cuffed behind his back, was led by authorities from the courtroom Wednesday morning after pleading guilty to felony-level criminal sexual conduct in a case where numerous women have come forward with similar accusations of being sexually assaulted as girls when he was their youth leader at the Vineyard Church.As part of a deal, Gatlin pleaded guilty to one count and on four others entered an Alford plea.
The courtroom was at capacity for the hearing, with several victims sitting together in a row. Gatlin, 36, will be sentenced during separate hearings November 25th and 26th. He will likely serve 13 years in prison and have to register as a sex offender.
Gatlin is the son of former pastors Michael and Brenda Gatlin. The couple resigned earlier this year amid concerns that they failed to act. According to a timeline of the church's response to the allegations, church leaders fired Jackson Gatlin in February for refusing to meet with private investigators whom the church had hired.
In another alleged incident, prosecutors said that in late 2007, Gatlin invited a 16-year-old girl to his parents' house to watch football. He pinned the teen to a futon and forcibly penetrated her vagina with his fingers.
After her mother found the teen barefoot in the street crying, the woman called Brenda Gatlin, who said, "We know your daughter has issues," and hung up the phone.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A Duluth youth pastor has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for sexually assaulting multiple young girls during his time at the church. Jackson Michael Gatlin, 36, was sentenced to 156 months in prison yesterday after pleading guilty to five counts of criminal sexual conduct on November 6th. He must also register as a sex offender.Charges had been filed against Gatlin in early 2023 after multiple women came forward saying they had been sexually assaulted by him when they were children, the youngest being 12 at the time of the abuse.
Gatlin worked as a youth pastor at Duluth's Vineyard Church, where his parents, Michael and Brenda Gatlin, were senior pastors from approximately 2006 until his suspension and termination in 2023.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
Cleveland County deputies arrested a pastor accused of lewd or indecent acts to a child under 16, and investigators say there could be more victims. James McMillan was arrested Tuesday afternoon, and court documents show that there are multiple Department of Human Services and law enforcement cases where he is listed as a sexual abuse suspect dating back to 2003.The court documents state that McMillan was traveling with an underage victim on Cleveland County when they got stuck in traffic. The victim claimed McMillan unzipped his pants and began touching himself in front of the victim. In 2014, when McMillan was the pastor at First Baptist Church of Konawa, he claimed his First Amendment rights were being violated for not being allowed to pray before a high school game.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
Zachary Joseph Radcliff, 29, was arraigned on two charges of aggravated child sexually abusive activity, two charges child sexually abusive activity, and six charges of using the Internet to communicate with another to commit a crime. He is facing up to 25 years in prison.Radcliff is a church leader at Oakwood Church, confirmed Victoria Burton-Harris, Washtenaw County's chief assistant prosecuting attorney.
The 29-year-old performed his song "I'll Stand" at the Conservative Political Action Conference in 2019, according to a release from Liberty University, Radcliff's alma mater. He attended the Virginia school from 2013 to 2017, according to the university.
What could be more on-brand than pedophiles performing at CPAC?
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A Washtenaw County youth pastor already facing life in prison has been arraigned on nearly two dozen additional felony charges, including more counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.Zachary Joseph Radcliff, 29, has been charged with a total of 33 felonies after he was arraigned on 22 new charges November 26th before 14A-1 District Court Judge J. Cedric Simpson.
Radcliff is additionally accused of eight counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, six counts of aggravated child sexually abusive activity, six counts of child sexually abusive activity, and two charges of using the internet to communicate with another to commit a crime.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A jury found an Inola pastor guilty of rape and two counts of lewd or indecent acts involving young girls Thursday morning. Four years ago, Inola pastor Roy Shoop was arrested."I felt I was looking the devil right in the eye," said Sheriff Scott Walton from the Rogers County Sheriff's Office as he explained the moment he handcuffed Roy Shoop.
The Rogers County District Attorney's Office said during the trial multiple victims testified about suffering abuse from Roy Shoop. His victims were as young as 5 years old. Shoop's trial started on October 1st and he chose to take the stand in his own defense.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
An Inola pastor was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Tuesday after being found guilty of rape and two counts of lewd or indecent acts involving young girls.Roy Shoop was the pastor of the Cowboy Gatherin' Church in Inola, and he and his wife have trained children to compete in rodeo events such as barrel racing and roping.
The Rogers County District Attorney's Office said multiple victims testified about suffering abuse from Shoop during the trial. His victims were as young as five years old.
Prosecutors read impact statements on behalf of the victims. They said Roy Shoop ruined years of their lives, ruined their love for riding horses, and broke their trust with the church and god. They say they are scared of Shoop and his followers.
Shoop was arrested in 2020 for inappropriately touching several girls during horse riding lessons at his ranch, and while the girls stayed at the family's home.
Prosecutors say Shoop has never taken responsibility for his actions, even after he was convicted, but instead said one of the victims is mentally unwell, and the other made these claims just to get attention.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
The Leon County Sheriff's Office arrested a church employee for assaulting a teenager.Hunter Eubanks, 30, was arrested Wednesday on charges of sexual assault of a minor, cruelty toward a child, aggravated battery on a child, use of a computer to lure a child, obscene communication, and travel to meet after using a computer to lure a child. He is being held in the Leon County Detention Facility.
According to a news release, Eubanks committed "multiple sexual acts" on a 16-year-old, which occurred on church grounds between July and October. Detectives have been investigating since October 9th before issuing a warrant for his arrest.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A yearlong investigation into the 2×2 Church, a Christian sect so secretive most people have never heard of it, has uncovered allegations of widespread child sexual abuse and subsequent coverups.Investigators spoke with dozens of victims of child sexual abuse across more than 30 states. As part of the ongoing investigation by law enforcement, Raymond Zwiefelhofer was convicted of 10 counts of possessing child sexual abuse material and was sentenced to 120 years in prison.
The minimum sentencing in Arizona is 10 years for one count. Zwiefelhofer was sentenced to 12 years for each count. According to private investigator Cynthia Liles, "The 2×2 Church has a significant problem with child sexual abuse It's systemic."
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
Pastor Danny Duane Pitts was found guilty of second-degree sodomy by a Morgan County jury on October 24th and sentenced to 20 years in prison.On Wednesday, Circuit Judge Charles B. Elliott sentenced Pitts to 20 years in the Alabama Department of Corrections. This is the maximum sentence for second-degree sodomy.
The victim in the case also tearfully testified that Pitts took advantage of him early on in counseling sessions. The victim said he initially kept it to himself but later confided in his family, who offered support if he wanted to press charges.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A pastor has been found guilty of sodomy after days of testimony. According to court officials, Danny Duane Pitts was found guilty of second-degree sodomy Thursday after a trial in Morgan County.Testimony in the trial began on Tuesday with former Hartselle Police Investigator Amy Crouch. Crouch testified the then-teenage accuser disclosed details about several illegal sexual encounters between him and his pastor, Danny Pitts.
The victim in the case also tearfully testified that Pitts took advantage of him early on in counseling sessions. The victim said he initially kept it to himself but later confided in his family, who offered support if he wanted to press charges.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A New Orleans priest who pleaded guilty to rape and kidnapping has been sentenced to life in prison. Lawrence Hecker, 93, was sentenced Wednesday, just weeks after he entered his plea, moments before jury selection was slated to begin in his trialHe does not have the eligibility for parole. District Attorney Jason Williams wants Hecker to serve his life sentence at Angola. It is unclear at this time what prison he will be sent to.
Three people who say they were molested by Hecker were in court during the sentencing hearing Wednesday. Three of those victims took the stand to give impact statements. The first person, Aaron Hebert, called Hecker "Satan in priest's clothing."
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A Craighead County pastor accused of sexual assault will spend the next decade behind bars. Second Judicial Circuit Court Judge Scott Ellington sentenced 58-year-old Anthony Lee Strickland of Bono after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual assault. He was charged November 16, 2021 with one count of rape and one count of sexual assault in the second degree involving two girls whose parents attended his church.After turning 18, the older girl told her parents that when she spent the night with Strickland, he watched a movie with her. She said Strickland began rubbing her genitals and asked her if it felt good. After the girls' mother was made aware of the allegations, she sat down with her other children and asked them to tell her and her husband if anyone had touched them inappropriately and not be afraid to tell them.
The older girl briefly told her siblings her story, then her then-11-year-old sister broke down crying and said, "Momma, he did that to me too," the affidavit states. That child would have been between 5 and 7 years of age at the time.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Brian Patrick Werth, 40, of Beltsville, Maryland to 37 years in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for two counts of producing child sexual abuse material.Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations.
Werth was convicted of coercing and enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and engaging with a minor as a registered sex offender.
Upon his release from prison, Werth is required to register as a sex offender where he resides, is employed, and where he is a student under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Judge Chuang also ordered Werth to refrain from contact with children under 18 years old, without prior permission, and to submit to computer monitoring.
After a three-day trial, a jury found that from January 2021 through June 2021, Werth communicated with minor females, ages 11 and 15, through internet-based applications WhatsApp and Kik.
During these interactions, Werth persuaded, coerced, and enticed the minor females to engage in sexually explicit conduct by producing sexually explicit videos of themselves.
Additionally, Werth engaged in child sexual abuse as a member of the Maryland Sex Offender Registry for a previous sex offense conviction.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A New Orleans priest who pleaded guilty to rape and kidnapping has been sentenced to life in prison. Lawrence Hecker, 93, was sentenced Wednesday, just weeks after he entered his plea, moments before jury selection was slated to begin in his trialHe does not have the eligibility for parole. District Attorney Jason Williams wants Hecker to serve his life sentence at Angola. It is unclear at this time what prison he will be sent to.
Three people who say they were molested by Hecker were in court during the sentencing hearing Wednesday. Three of those victims took the stand to give impact statements. The first person, Aaron Hebert, called Hecker "Satan in priest's clothing."
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A New Orleans priest who pleaded guilty to rape and kidnapping has died at 93, according to his attorney, Bobby Hjortsberg.Lawrence Hecker was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday, December 18th after pleading guilty to aggravated kidnapping, aggravated crime against nature, first-degree rape, and theft.
He died at Elayn Hunt Correctional Center on December 26th.
Merry Christmas.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A minister was arraigned Monday afternoon in Lenawee district court on two criminal sexual conduct charges following his arrest Saturday.The second-degree felony charges against Michael Ronald Goble filed in 2A District Court specify victims younger than age 13 and that the specific offenses occurred in November of 2021, court records show.
But a statement from Adrian police said more charges are likely forthcoming, with potential locations of significance including the Maurice Spears Juvenile Campus, Church of the Good Shepherd, and Mr. Goble's home.
Police indicate there are more victims.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A retired Adrian pastor accused of molesting boys has been charged with a new offense and will be appointed a new attorney. Michael Ronald Goble, 76, already faced four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person younger than 13 and two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a detained juvenile.He was arrested in July after Adrian police investigated a report by a 12-year-old boy that Goble had molested him while he was at Goble's home to help with yard work in late June. While investigating the initial report, officers were told the boy's older brother had a similar experience with Goble in 2022.
When Goble was arrested, Adrian police and the Lenawee County Sheriff's Office reported that they suspected there may be more victims and "locations of significance" may include the campus, the Church of the Good Shepherd in Adrian, and Goble's home.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A Kentucky worship leader associated with Ken Ham's Creation Museum in northern Kentucky is in jail after confessing to sexually abusing a teenager for several years, the Boone County Sheriff's Office said.Howard is listed on social media as part of TrueSong, the resident artist of the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter, founded by Answers in Genesis CEO Ken Ham. The sheriff's office said Howard and the victim also attended the same church.
Social media sites show Howard attended Florence Baptist Temple in Burlington, Kentucky where he served on the worship team. When contacted and asked if Howard was still affiliated with the church's worship team, a church official declined to comment.
Howard is facing dozens of charges, including sexual abuse and sodomy. According to the Boone County Sheriff's Office, a victim reported in late December that he had been sexually abused for several years by an adult male.
Michael Howard, 36, of Burlington sent text messages of a sexual nature to the victim in the spring of 2020, before multiple occasions of sexual abuse and sodomy began. The sheriff's office said the victim, who was a minor when the abuse began, worked for Howard starting in the fall of 2019.
Howard was arrested on Thursday. He is facing 40 counts of sexual abuse and 40 counts of sodomy. Howard was taken to the Boone County Jail and held on a $250,000 bond.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
An Oxnard priest was sentenced Thursday to a year in jail in connection with sex offenses against two youths in Los Angeles County but avoided state prison, officials said.Rodolfo Martinez-Guevara pleaded no contest to sodomy with a person under age 16 and a lewd act with a child age 14 or 15, according to court records. The first offense applies when the perpetrator is over age 21 and the second if the perpetrator is at least 10 years older than the child.
The 39-year-old man will serve the jail term concurrently with a December 9th one-year sentence in Ventura County for possession of child pornography. He was sentenced to a suspended prison term of two years in Ventura County and required to register as a sex offender for at least 10 years.
I originally reported on the child pornography charges in the previously deleted version of this thread.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A Racine pastor convicted of child enticement was sentenced Monday to 11 years in prison. Prosecutors argued Bernabe Leon-Alvarez used his position of power to inappropriately touch two teenage girls while he worked at a Racine church that is now closed.A jury found him guilty of attempted sexual exploitation by a therapist and child enticement. One of the victims spoke in court Monday.
"All I know is that what happened that day in the basement will forever be engrained in my mind and he will never know how he affected my life afterwards," she said.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A teacher at a Thiensville private school has been charged with child sex crimes. Daniel Rick, 36, of Jackson is a teacher and athletic director at Christ Alone Lutheran School. He faces charges of child enticement, and exposing genitals/pubic area/intimate parts to a child.According to the criminal complaint, Rick picked "favorite" boy students each year, and had them sit on his lap. Then he would touch their stomachs, rub their backs, and kiss them.
When parents met with Rick to discuss his behavior in January 2024, Rick "quickly broke into tears," then tried justifying his actions with a comparison to Jesus, saying, "Let the little children come to me."
Rick also claimed that he did not initiate the physical contact, and that it was the students who started it.
Originally posted by Adam_PoE
A Catholic priest's sex assaults on Inuit children decades ago in Igloolik transformed a once friendly and trusting hamlet into a place marred by anger and addiction, court heard Thursday.Wails and shouts could be heard in the Iqaluit courtroom where Eric Dejaeger pleaded guilty to indecent assaults against six girls and one boy between 1978 and 1982. He had previously been convicted of dozens of offences against children and some adults.
Prosecutor Emma Baasch described each of the assaults in graphic detail in the Nunavut Court of Justice. Baasch spoke of horrific sex acts. Children were as young as four when the abuse began, she said.
One complainant described blacking out from the pain. In some cases, it began with the priest offering the children candy. Court heard Dejaeger gave a picture to a girl to colour before taking her on his lap and assaulting her. It was of Jesus giving someone a flower.
One of the victims told the court that at age six, she would urinate on herself in the hope of fending off his advances. He was released from prison in 2022 on his previous convictions.
I reported on Dejaeger's previous conviction in an earlier version of this threat that was deleted.