Religion

Texas Youth Pastor Indicted On Child Porn Charges

Fox West Texas reports: The Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office conducted a child crimes investigation that led to the execution of a search warrant in San Angelo. According to a TGCSO press release, as a result of the search warrant, probable cause was developed that led to the issuance of an arrest warrant for James Needham, 28, for possession of …

Read More »

SCOTUS Rejects Free Speech Claim By Street Preacher

Reuters reports: The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a traveling Christian evangelist’s free-speech challenge to a University of Alabama requirement that he obtain a permit before handing out religious pamphlets and preaching from a sidewalk adjacent to its campus. The justices turned away an appeal by preacher Rodney Keister of a lower court’s ruling rejecting his claim that the …

Read More »

CO Christian Filmmaker Pleads Guilty In Child Sex Sting

Ministry Watch reports: Steve Greisen, a Christian filmmaker and a veteran of the Jesus movement’s 1970s-era music scene, pled guilty Wednesday in Colorado Springs to a criminal attempt to solicit online sex with a minor. In a plea deal, Greisen agreed to register as a sex offender and spend five years in Colorado’s supervision program for sex offenders. He had …

Read More »

Catholic School Teacher Arrested On Child Sex Charges

The Quad City Times reports: Cody LaKose faces a felony charge of sexual exploitation by a school employee and three aggravated misdemeanor charges of sexual exploitation by a school employee. LaKose, 37, was a science teacher and coach at Central DeWitt from August 2010 to December 2018. He was asked to resign, according to a separation agreement with the district. …

Read More »

VA Pastor Arrested For “Indecent Liberties With Child”

The Northern Virginia Daily reports: Strasburg police are accusing a local church leader of committing sex crimes against a child four years ago. Mark Newton Heatwole, 65, of Timberville, remains free on bond after his arrest last week on one count of taking indecent liberties with a child under the age of 15. Sgt. Chris Nixon, of the Strasburg Police …

Read More »

Cardinals Demand Trial For Pro-Gay German Bishops

Fox News reports: Leaders of the Catholic Church in Germany must be punished for breaking from the Vatican and approving blessings for same-sex marriages, two cardinals say. Cardinal Raymond Burke of the United States and Cardinal Gerhard Müller of Germany spoke about the de facto schism underway in Germany during an interview with EWTN. “Whether it’s a departure, heretical teaching …

Read More »

UT Missionary Charged With LDS-Themed Child Porn

Salt Lake City’s ABC affiliate reports: A Sandy man faces 10 felonies for possessing child porn, some of it allegedly LDS themed. Roland E. Westrup, 23, was charged in the 3rd District Court with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a 2nd-degree felony. He could be put away for up to 15 years for each charge, if that …

Read More »

NC Baptist Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charges

Charlotte’s NBC affiliate reports: The Lincolnton Police Department says a man is accused of child sex crimes, one of which reportedly happened recently. The department said 49-year-old Terry Wayne Rudisill was arrested Friday afternoon. He is charged with three counts of taking indecent liberties with children. A news release from police said one of the charges stems from a reportedly …

Read More »

IA Youth Pastor Arrested On Felony Child Sex Charges

The Oskaloosa Herald reports: A former youth director at a Pella church is facing multiple charges of sexual abuse, according to court documents. Travis Albers, 38, of rural Pella, has been charged with two counts of lascivious acts with a child – inflict pain or discomfort, both class D felonies; and two counts of indecent contact with a child. According …

Read More »

NYC Mayor Calls For Making City Into “A Place Of God”

The New York Daily News reports: Mayor Adams called on New Yorkers to transform the city into “a place of God” Thursday — the latest in a series of faith-based remarks that have defied conventions set by his City Hall predecessors. Adams, who was speaking at a faith-based summit on mental health, posed much of his speech in the form …

Read More »

Bible Study Teacher Gets 4 Years On Grooming Charge

Jacksonville’s NBC affiliate reports: James Rankin Johnson, a former teacher at New Beginnings Christian Academy in Jacksonville, pleaded guilty to the charge of “offenses against students by authority figures” Tuesday. He accepted a plea deal for a lesser charge, with the state agreeing to drop two counts of lewd or lascivious molestation. He will serve four years in state prison …

Read More »

Kirk Cameron Gets Tennessee Librarian Fired, Library Staff Deluged With Harassment, Bomb Threat [VIDEO]

Nashville’s ABC affiliate reports: The Sumner County Library Board voted 4-3 on Wednesday to terminate Hendersonville Public Library director Allan Morales. Morales lost his job because of viral accusations by actor and author Kirk Cameron, former swimmer Riley Gaines and “Duck Dynasty” personality Missy Robertson. Cameron held a children’s reading event last month at the Hendersonville Library and publicly accused …

Read More »

Catholic Deacon Gets 16 Years On Child Sex Charges

The New York Daily News reports: A disgraced Queens Catholic Church deacon will spend 16 years behind bars for enticing three boys he met online into having sex with him. Rogelio Vega, 52, faced his reckoning in Brooklyn Federal Court on Wednesday, breaking down in tears as he described how his actions hurt his victims and his family. The detective …

Read More »

Christian School Teacher Arrested On Child Sex Charges

Mobile’s NBC affiliate reports: According to the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, a local teacher has been arrested and charged for engaging in a sexual relationship with a student. Jonathan Sauers, a teacher and soccer coach at Faith Academy, has been charged with “School employee engaging in a sex act with a student under the age of 19 years.” According to …

Read More »

Buffalo Priest Put On Leave After Child Sex Complaint

Buffalo’s ABC affiliate reports: The Diocese of Buffalo placed Monsignor Peter J. Popadick on leave for the second time Wednesday, after previously allowing the priest to return to ministry. In a statement, a spokesperson for the diocese wrote that Popadick was placed on administrative leave after it received a child sexual abuse complaint. Popadick serves as the pastor of St. …

Read More »

PA Youth Pastor Gets 6-12 Years On Child Sex Charges

Penn Live reports: “God is still good. God is strong.” Those were the words the former youth pastor called out to her family on Wednesday as she was escorted from the Perry County courtroom after being sentenced to six to 12 years in state prison for sexual assault. Meanwhile, a 26-year-old woman whom prosecutors say Lindsey Melnick molested 11 years …

Read More »

CA Diocese Seeks Bankruptcy Amid Child Sex Lawsuits

San Francisco’s CBS affiliate reports: The Diocese of Santa Rosa filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on Monday in the face of potentially hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits. Bishop Robert Vasa had announced the filing was imminent in a media release. “This decision was made necessary due to the number of child sexual abuse lawsuits filed against the Diocese over the …

Read More »

Ohio Pastor Arrested On Felony Child Sex Charges

The Geauga Maple Leaf reports: Dennis W. Laferty, a pastor at Thompson United Methodist Church in Thompson Township, is accused of sexual battery against one or more minors. Laferty, 37, who lives in a home Trustees of Thompson Methodist Church own at 6724 Madison Road, is facing multiple felony counts. Laferty was charged with five counts of third-degree felony sexual …

Read More »

Youth Pastor Arrested On Child Sex, Child Porn Charges

Hannibal’s CBS affiliate reports: The Quincy Police Department says an investigation began in January on Isaiah W. Mikkelson after law enforcement was contacted by a parent of a juvenile that had disclosed possible sexual abuse by a Youth Director/Pastor, at Hope Lutheran Church. Police say during the investigation, multiple juveniles were interviewed at the Child Advocacy Center and alleged abuse …

Read More »

FL Minister Gets Life Sentence On Child Sex Charges

Jacksonville’s CBS affiliate reports: A former Jacksonville minister was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday. In March of 2020 Michael Linkenauger was arrested and charged for sexual battery and lewd or lascivious acts. A judge heard from the now 17-year-old victim who asked the judge to hand down the maximum penalty. “My world has been turned upside down by …

Read More »