Tag Archives: religion

The Roys Report reports: A Tennessee megachurch has filed for bankruptcy and disclosed millions in debts, following scandal concerning Pastor Tavner Smith’s alleged sexual misconduct, federal court filings show. Venue Church in Chattanooga filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Tuesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. Its bankruptcy petition shows the church has more than $3 million …

Fayetteville’s ABC affiliate reports: A man was arrested on a charge of sexual indecency with a child in a case related to his time as a youth pastor at a Bentonville church, according to Nathan Smith, Benton County prosecutor. Keenan Hord was arrested Thursday night and has been booked into the Benton County Detention Center. He is facing charges that …

Nashville’s Fox affiliate reports: The principal and secretary of a small Christian school in McMinn County engaged in improper sexual activity in front of an underage teen and former student at the pastor’s home, according to 2 arrest reports from the McMinn County Sheriff’s Department. 47-year-old Jason Kennedy is principal, teacher and pastor of Liberty Christian School in Riceville. 28-year-old …

Mobile’s CBS affiliate reports: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement charged a woman with grand theft after a Milton Church was defrauded out of $164,716. Lisa Michelle Hively, 55, was charged with one count of organized schemes to defraud and one count of grand theft. Hively was arrested after investigators opened up an investigation into the finances of Faith Baptist …

The Delaware County Times reports: A 72-year-old Chester pastor pleaded guilty Tuesday in Delaware County Court to videotaping a sexual encounter he had with an underage girl during a relationship that lasted from 2018 through 2020. Edward Lilly, of the 4100 block of Kates Glen Drive in the Boothwyn section of Upper Chichester, entered an open guilty plea to one …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …

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 …