Tag Archives: religion

Pittsburgh’s ABC affiliate reports: A Butler County pastor is in jail Wednesday evening after engaging in what state police are calling inappropriate sexual contact with two minors. Herman Clarence Rushing, Jr., 67, of Portersville Borough, is facing charges of corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of children and indecent assault. Rushing is in the Butler County Prison as of Wednesday …

Fort Wayne’s ABC affiliate reports: A 25-year-old man is facing charges after court documents say he had inappropriate contact with a minor while he was serving as a pastor at a Markle church. Court records show Zachary Luke Petree was charged with child seduction while having a professional relationship with the child, dissemination of matter harmful to minors, and sexual …

Patch New Hampshire reports: Police in Nashua have confirmed statements made by a local church that one of its pastors was under investigation for child sexual abuse allegations before taking his own life. Jarrett Booker, 37, the pastor of students and worship at Nashua Baptist Church, took his own life on Nov. 27, according to the church. In a note …

South Carolina’s The State reports: A former Midlands pastor has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for criminal sexual conduct involving children, according to court records and the 5th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. William “Bill” Oswald, 61, of Prosperity, was sentenced to two consecutive 20-year prison terms by state Judge Eugene “Bubba” Griffith after a weeklong trial in Richland County …

San Francisco’s NBC affiliate reports: An East Bay pastor is under arrest accused of sex crimes with an underage member of his church and police believe there may be more victims. Pastor Victor Hernandez Pineda is known for his passionate sermons by those who attend Iglesia Pentecostal Movimiento de Gloria, a Spanish-language Christian church in Richmond. “We’ve always loved our …

Flagler Live reports: Alphonso Joseph, the 50-year-old Palm Coast resident and former pastor at several Bunnell churches, was sentenced this afternoon to five years in prison followed by 10 years on sex-offender probation after pleading guilty to having sex with an underage boy. Joseph will be registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life, and will have …

The Midland Daily News reports: Living Word International Church minister James Randolph was arrested and charged Tuesday with first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving relationship, four counts of second-degree CSC and one count of accosting children for immoral purposes for crimes allegedly occurring in 2011. Randolph is charged with seven felony counts and is out of jail on a $500,000 cash …

The Christian Post reports: A bill aimed at officially severing the Church of England from the British government is set to be introduced in Parliament next month. The “Disestablishment of the Church of England” bill, scheduled to be introduced by Liberal Democrat lawmaker Paul Scriven on Dec. 6, was selected earlier in November from a bill ballot from private members …

James Lasher writes for the far-right Charisma News: If you thought Target had learned the lesson that many of their shoppers do not view items like tuck-friendly swimwear for kids as appropriate, think again. The year is not over yet, and the retail giant thought it would be a good idea to ring in the Christmas season with another ‘Pride’ …

The Birmingham News reports: The Mobile priest and the 2023 high school graduate with whom he left the country for Europe this summer are now married, according to records filed with Mobile County Probate Court. Alex Crow, 30, and 18-year-old Taylor Victoria Harrison were married last Friday, according to the date on the marriage certificate. Crow and Harrison, a graduate …

Becker’s Hospital Review reports: Hospital Sisters Health System, a Catholic organization based in Springfield, Ill., is removing all wooden and metal crucifixes from its hospitals’ emergency departments and patient rooms. That decision is a response to “the changing healthcare landscape and the general increase in healthcare workers experiencing workplace violence,” according to a Nov. 21 statement the health system shared …

CNN reports: The North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church voted Saturday to accept the decision of 261 congregations to leave the denomination over a divide on LGBTQ issues. “I realize how sad this time is for many, including myself,” said Bishop Robin Dease, the leader of the conference. “I just hate that those who are leaving us, I …

Toledo’s CBS affiliate reports: A former northwest Ohio priest was sentenced Friday, just over three years after he was initially arrested on charges of sex trafficking minors and adults, charges on which he was ultimately found guilty. Michael Zacharias appeared in federal court Friday afternoon, where a judge sentenced him to life in prison on two counts and 20 years …

Waco’s ABC affiliate reports: A pastor from Mission was sentenced Thursday to 12 years behind bars after pleading guilty to charges of aggravated sexual assault and practicing medicine without a license, court records show. As part of his sentencing, Melquisedec Chan will serve 10 years probation and pay a $5,000 fine for practicing medicine without a license. Chan was arrested …

Goldsboro’s CBS affiliate reports: A teacher at a Christian school in Sanford has been charged with sex offenses involving a student, Sanford police said Thursday. On Nov. 8, police received a report of misconduct by a teacher at Lee Christian School at 3220 Keller Andrews Road. Further Investigation into the allegations led police investigators to bring charges against 57-year-old Daniel …

Click On Detroit reports: A man serving as a youth leader at a Macomb County church has been charged with criminal sexual conduct due to alleged sexual contact with a minor who attends his church. Clinton Township man Luis Mendoza, 29, was arraigned Wednesday, Nov. 15 on multiple counts of criminal sex conduct, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office reports. Mendoza, …

The Mississippi Press reports: Samuel Lamar Taylor, 52, has been sentenced to life without parole after he was convicted by a Rankin County jury on September 20, 2023, of one count of sexual battery and one count of gratification of lust. Taylor served as a music teacher for over 25 years at schools across Mississippi, retiring from Richland Upper Elementary …

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports: Voters who approved Ohio’s Issue 1 Tuesday dealt a blow to Catholic bishops and activists who mounted an unprecedented campaign to stop abortion from becoming a constitutional right in the state. They still lost by a 14-point margin, 57%-43%. The church in Ohio spent more than $1.7 million trying to convince voters to reject the amendment. …

Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate reports: An Arizona judge has dismissed a high-profile child sexual abuse lawsuit against The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ruling that church officials who knew that a church member was sexually abusing his daughter had no duty to report the abuse to police or social service agencies because the information was received during …

The Detroit Free Press reports: A federal lawsuit alleges the city of Hamtramck violated the U.S. Constitution when it passed and enforced a law this summer that banned the display of LGBTQ+, ethnic and political flags on government property. The 223-page suit was filed against the city, Mayor Amer Ghalib and city councilmen on behalf of two former city commissioners …