A man who is well known in his community is facing charges that seem unthinkable. A well-liked and respected youth leader at the Unity United Methodist Church in Salisbury has been arrested and is facing statutory rape and other sex crime charges involving minors. As law enforcement officials in North Carolina don’t take such accusations lightly, this individual will have a tough legal battle ahead of him.
A 54-year-old man was recently arrested and is being held at the Rowan County Detention Center. According to a recent police report, this individual is accused of inappropriate sexual contact and the dissemination of pornographic materials to minor children under 16 years of age. The alleged offenses occurred in 1998. Bond in this case has been set at $250,000.
The accused is known for his volunteer and church work. The day after his arrest, he was no longer listed as a youth leader for Unity United Methodist Church. These accusations have shocked the community and will have a dramatic impact on this individual’s personal and professional life, regardless of the outcome.
The investigation into these allegations is still ongoing. Police in North Carolina are still requesting that anyone with valuable information regarding this case please come forward. In the meantime, the accused maintains the right defend himself and consult legal counsel. As any conviction regarding charges such as statutory rape and the others filed in this case could result in prison time, registration on the Sex Offender Registry, fines and a multitude of other consequences, the accused could certainly benefit from having someone fighting for his best interests.
Source: wbtv.com, “Church leader charged with sex crimes against teen“, David Whisenant, Nov. 14, 2014