Tag Archives: religion

NJ Youth Pastor Charged With 75 Child Sex Counts

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports: A Burlington County man who served as a youth pastor has been indicted on charges that he sexually exploited underage boys, deceiving them into sending him explicit images, then blackmailing them into performing lewd acts so he could watch and record them remotely, authorities said Friday. Sean Higgins, 31, of Palmyra, has been in custody since …

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MI Pastor Guilty Of Paying Boys To Have Sex With Wife

Kalamazoo’s CBS affiliate reports: A Kalamazoo pastor accused of paying teen boys for sex pleaded guilty Tuesday. Stricjavvar “Strick” Strickland pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly offering to sell transportation services for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, according to prosecutors. As part of the plea deal, Strickland will spend one year in jail and he will not have …

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Texas Pastor Guilty Of Stealing From Alzheimer’s Patient

The Tyler Morning Herald reports: A longtime Tyler pastor, coach and community figure will serve six months in the Smith County Jail and 10 years probation after pleading guilty to stealing from an elderly couple, his former church and a local nonprofit. Through a plea deal, Rev. Jerome Milton, who leads Open Door Bible Church in Tyler, admitted to using …

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Iranian Foreign Ministry Justifies Attack On Rushdie

The Associated Press reports: An Iranian government official denied on Monday that Tehran was involved in the assault on author Salman Rushdie, though he justified the stabbing in remarks that represented the Islamic Republic’s first public comments on the attack. “Regarding the attack against Salman Rushdie in America, we don’t consider anyone deserving reproach, blame or even condemnation, except for …

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Salman Rushie Taken Off Ventilator, Now Able To Speak

USA Today reports: Salman Rushdie, “The Satanic Verses” author who was stabbed Friday as he prepared to give a lecture in upstate New York, has been taken off a ventilator and is able to talk. Rushdie, 75, remains hospitalized with serious injuries, but is “on the road to recovery,” Rushdie’s agent, Andrew Wylie of The Wylie Agency, confirmed Sunday to …

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Rushdie’s Attacker Charged With Attempted Murder

ABC News reports: A suspect has been charged with attempted murder in the attack on author Salman Rushdie at a speaking event in New York state. The alleged attacker is Hadi Matar, 24, of Fairview, New Jersey, a law enforcement official told ABC News. He was arrested at the scene and is currently in New York State Police custody. Matar …

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Wisconsin Pastor Convicted Of Possessing Child Porn

The Appleton Post-Crescent reports: A 48-year-old pastor has been convicted of four counts of possession of child pornography and one count of meth possession. Rick E. Haberland, former pastor of Oneida United Methodist Church, pleaded no contest to all five charges Friday morning during a plea hearing in Outagamie County Circuit Court. Haberland also formerly served as a pastor at …

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NC Youth Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charges

Wilmington’s ABC affiliate reports: At least two victims have come forward regarding allegations of sexual misconduct involving a former youth pastor at Wrightsboro Baptist Church in New Hanover County. The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office arrested Alan Croom, 35, for indecent liberties with a minor. The arrest took place at Wilmington International Airport, as Croom was traveling back to Wilmington …

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NYC Mayor Rejects Gun Permit For “Bling Bishop” Pal

The New York Daily News reports: The Brooklyn pastor who called for clergy members to get special gun privileges after getting robbed at gunpoint got a rebuke from his longtime pal Mayor Adams, who said Monday he doesn’t support such a policy. Last Friday, blinged-out Bishop Lamor Whitehead urged elected officials to pass a law that would let members of …

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Wisconsin Pastor Busted In Underage Hooker Sting

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports: A sting operation this week in St. Paul and Stillwater led to the arrest of six people who now face felony charges in connection with attempting to solicit minors for sex or trafficking. Undercover agents posed as minors or sex buyers on social media and made arrangements to meet the adults. When the adults …

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Sex Offender CA Pastor Arrested On Child Sex Charges

The Fresno Bee reports: A Fresno County minster was arrested Thursday for alleged sex crimes, deputies said. Arrested was 64-year-old Bernardino Villalobos of Del Rey who is a registered sex offender and previously served time in prison for convictions of rape and sodomy. Detectives received information that Villalobos allegedly abused a child in 2017. Villalobos was booked into the Fresno …

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LA Pastor Charged With Shooting Son-In-Law Cop

Los Angeles’s Fox affiliate reports: An alleged fight between family members in Harbor City ends with an off-duty Los Angeles County deputy getting shot and a pastor in handcuffs. FOX 11 has learned Tuesday that the suspected gunman was Gordon Mueller, a pastor at Believers’ Victory International Church in Carson. Mueller is being charged with the attempted murder of the …

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Christianists Ramp Up Push For Public School Prayers

The Washington Post reports: A month has passed since the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Washington state football coach who knelt at midfield to pray and was joined by student-athletes. The court wrote, in a 6-3 decision, that Bremerton High School assistant coach Joseph Kennedy’s prayers were protected by the Constitution’s guarantees of free speech and religious exercise, …

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RI Priest Facing Child Porn Charges Gets Arrested Again

Providence’s CBS affiliate reports: A former Providence priest already facing federal child pornography charges has been arrested again and is being returned to Rhode Island for violating the conditions of his release. The Rev. James Jackson was arrested in Kansas on Friday, according to a court filing. Danielle Thomas, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Kansas, said in …

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Moonie Church Likely Motive In Abe’s Assassination

Reuters reports: The mother of the man arrested for the killing of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe is a member of the Unification Church, the head of its Japanese arm said on Monday. Tetsuya Yamagami, an unemployed 41-year-old, has been identified by police as the suspect who approached Abe and opened fire during a campaign speech on Friday. Yamagami …

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Florida Pastor And Family Sought In $8M COVID Scam

NBC News reports: The Edwardses were Christian missionaries from Canada who lived in Turkey for many years and moved to Florida in 2019. On paper they ran a faith-based charity with a high-minded mission: to “communicate Christian love in doctrine and service to the poor.” But by the fall of 2020, the family of four — dad Evan; mom Mary …

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Top Gospel Singer “Credibly Accused” Of Child Sex

The Christian Post reports: A new report details allegations of sexual misconduct against well-known contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter Chris Rice, who reportedly engaged in “massages” with underage boys and invited them to stay overnight at his home. Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment, a leading Evangelical organization specializing in “empowering Christian communities to recognize, prevent and …

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Gallup: Belief In God Dips To New Low For US Adults

Gallup reports: The vast majority of U.S. adults believe in God, but the 81% who do so is down six percentage points from 2017 and is the lowest in Gallup’s trend. Between 1944 and 2011, more than 90% of Americans believed in God. Gallup’s May 2-22 Values and Beliefs poll finds 17% of Americans saying they do not believe in …

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Youth Pastor Convicted Of Multiple Child Sex Charges

Penn Live reports: A Lancaster County youth pastor was convicted of sexually assaulting two teens after a jury trial last week. Shane Ernest Richardson, 55, was found guilty of aggravated indecent assault of a person younger than 16, corruption of minors, unlawful contact with minors and indecent assault of a person younger than 16. Lancaster Crimewatch reports: In January of …

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United Arab Emirates Bans “Lightyear” Over Gay Kiss

ABC News reports: The United Arab Emirates has banned the upcoming Pixar animated film Lightyear from showing in cinemas amid reports that the film includes a kiss between two female characters. The Emirates, home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, announced through its Media Regulatory Office of the country’s Ministry of Youth and Culture that the film would not be opening …

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