Jehovah's Witnesses Child Molestation Court Cases Page 3 of 10

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JOHN MICHAEL EWING v. MICHAEL RUST, CORAL SPRINGS EAST CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ET AL was a confidentially settled 2021-23 New York civil court case. The following are edited excerpts from Plaintiff's Complaint (allegations denied entirely by defendants):

[JOHN M.] EWING was raised a Jehovah's Witness and was a congregant at defendant CONGREGATION as a child. EWING regularly attended meetings and events organized by, and affiliated with, the Jehovah's Witness organization. ... EWING was trained by WATCHTOWER, CONGREGATION, and GOVERNING BODY that he should obey, trust and respect the individuals appointed as elders and ministerial servants, including [MICHAEL] RUST. ... RUST used his position as a ministerial servant to gain access to [JOHN] EWING and used that access to accomplish the acts of molestation of EWING alleged herein.

... CONGREGATION elders represented to [JOHN] EWING and his family that [MICHAEL] RUST was a good mentor for young men in the CONGREGATION and recommended that RUST serve as a mentor for EWING. Upon the advice and recommendation of the CONGREGATION elders, EWING'S parents agreed to let RUST mentor EWING. In his capacity as mentor, RUST routinely took EWING out on field service.

After several months, when EWING was approximately fourteen years old, RUST began inviting EWING back to RUST'S home to "study". However, very little studying actually occurred. Instead, RUST began to groom EWING by providing him Victoria Secret catalogs to look at. After a couple of weeks, the grooming escalated to RUST providing EWING with pornography. RUST eventually escalated his inappropriate behavior by initiating games of Truth or Dare which would result in one, or both, of RUST and EWING getting undressed and running around RUST'S home. After some time, RUST then began touching EWING'S genitals and making EWING touch RUST'S genitals. Additionally, RUST would make EWING perform oral sex on RUST, and sodomized EWING.

The abuse was not limited to "study" sessions. In his capacity as EWING'S mentor, RUST often asked EWING'S parents if EWING could sleep over at RUST'S home. Given his role as EWING'S mentor, recommended by the elders, EWING'S parents agreed. During these sleepovers, RUST would routinely sexually abuse EWING as previously described herein.

From approximately 1985 -1989, when EWING was fourteen to seventeen years old, he was sexually abused by RUST approximately four to six times per week. In 1987, RUST was invited on a vacation with EWING'S family to drive from Florida to visit the Jehovah's Witness' world headquarters, known as "Bethel", in New York. While on the way, the family and RUST stopped at a Jehovah's Witness congregation in Virginia to spend the night. EWING'S parents slept out in a trailer while EWING, his siblings, and RUST slept inside the Kingdom Hall. That night, RUST sexually abused EWING. The group then travelled from Virginia to Brooklyn. While there, the group stayed in the basement of a large apartment. One night, while in Brooklyn, RUST again molested EWING. Finally, the group made it to Bethel, in Wallkill, NY. EWING'S family and RUST stayed on the Bethel property. One day, RUST indicated that he was going to wash his car and EWING went with him. During the car ride, RUST made EWING perform oral sex on RUST. Throughout his abuse of EWING, RUST threatened EWING not to tell anybody about his abuse, otherwise EWING would get in trouble.

... [MICHAEL] RUST was accused of molesting at least one other minor while he was molesting EWING. In approximately 1987, the son of RUST's fiance reported tothe CONGREGATION elders that RUST had molested him. ... in respose, the elders removed RUST from his position as a ministerial servant, but did not disfellowship him nor did they provide any warning to EWING, EWING'S family, or other members of the CONGREGATION about RUST. Nor did the elders report the abuse allegation to local law enforcement. The elders did ask EWING, vaguely, if anything had happened to him, but the elders did not identify RUST. Because the question was indirect, and RUST had threatened him that he would get in trouble if he told anybody about the abuse, EWING did not reveal to this elders that RUST had been abusing him. Despite EWING being a minor at the time, the elders did not speak with EWING'S parents.

... by 1989, [MICHAEL] RUST was reappointed as a Regular Pioneer and may have also been reinstated as a ministerial servant. In approximately 1992, when EWING was 21 years old, he disclosed to his parents that RUST had sexually abused him. EWING'S father immediately called the CONGREGATION elders. EWING'S father also called RUST and confronted him directly about EWING'S abuse. RUST apologized to EWING'S father. In response to EWING'S report, the CONGREGATION elders convened a judicial committee, and ultimately, disfellowshipped both EWING and RUST for engaging in homosexual activity.

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RKJW1 DOE v. KINGS HIGHWAY (BROOKLYN, NY) CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ET AL is an ongoing 2021-23 New York civil court case. Plaintiff's complaint alleges that during 1991-94, when Plaintiff was 11-14 years old, Ministerial Servant Ronald Mark Harding repeatedly sexually abused Plaintiff.

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UNITED STATES v. SHANE ALLEN EDGERLY, VERMONT v. SHANE ALLEN EDGERLY, VERMONT v. SHANE ALLEN EDGERLY, and VERMONT v. SHANE ALLEN EDGERLY. In June 2020, third generation Jehovah's Witness, and at least second generation child molester, Shane A. Edgerly, age 44, of Milton, VT and Fairfield, VT, pled guilty to one count of possession of child pornography in Vermont federal court, and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison.

Shane Edgerly reportedly is supported by both his Jehovah's Witness Parents and GrandParents (converted in 1960s), as well as his local JW congregation. Edgerly's parents, Gregory Edgerly and Jane Edgerly, posted his bail, while local JW Elders supposedly have been "helping" Edgerly with his many problems. It is such "coddling" that likely has resulted in Edgerly's coddling by the judicial system -- all of which have resulted in additional crimes and additional victims. One of the multiple online usernames used by Shane Edgerly in his child porn gathering and sharing activities was "Lovejehovah1".

State charges of alleged child abuse are still pending from Shane Edgerly's arrest on such in October 2017. Shane Edgerly entered his 2017 arraignment carrying a "silver sword" -- the WatchTower Cult version of the Bible. Edgerly is charged with assaulting a then ten year-old female in 2010 -- reportedly one of his two daughters with wife, Sonja Edgerly.

In January 2000, then 24 year-old Shane Allen Edgerly was convicted of three counts of child molestation of a young female victim believed to be a family member. Edgerly apparently did only "short" prison time given that he was convicted in May 2005 of "attempted" child molestation -- with the young female victim again believed to be a family member.

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VERMONT v. GREGORY NICHOLAS EDGERLY. Deceased father of Shane Allen Edgerly apparently also was a registered sex offender in Vermont at some point in time as indicated by two unconfirmed sources. Partial remnants of an old mugshot which include typical sex offender info indicate one prior arrest in Chittenden County, VT. Gregory Edgerly, aka Gregory N. Edgerly, aka Greg Edgerly, aka Greg N. Edgerly died in 2021 as a Jehovah's Witness in good standing at his Swanton Vermont Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.

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CHARD v. CHARD (1982) and COLORADO v. RICHARD JOHN CHARD III (1987-91). Richard J. Chard, then age 33, and his wife divorced in 1982. They were the parents of a two year-old daughter, Risa Chard, with whom they agreed to share joint custody, which later became an issue when Richard Chard's ex-spouse relocated back to California. Sometime between 1982 and 1987, Richard John Chard was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

As part of the by-then contentious custody agreement, six year-old Risa Chard spent June 20, 1986, until September 1, 1986, with her natural father in Steamboat Springs. (Risa lived with her mother and new stepfather in California.) Shortly after her return to California, Risa complained to her mother that her vagina hurt. Risa's mother examined Risa's vaginal area and found it to be "gapingly open". She also noted that the area was "real bright red" or "bloody." R.S.'s mother was concerned about Risa's condition, but decided not to take her to a doctor at that time.

In February 1987, after speaking with her attorney, Risa's mother took her to pediatrician Dr. Valerie Young. After examining Risa thoroughly, Dr. Young noted that Risa had an abnormally deep vaginal area, a large hymenal opening, and increased vascularity and scarring in the vaginal area. In addition, Risa's rectum was enlarged and unusually loose. Dr. Young referred Risa to therapist Suzanne Long for counseling. Long interviewed Risa twice and subsequently filed a child abuse report.

Thereafter, Richard John Chard was charged with five counts of aggravated incest. At trial, Long testified that during her interviews with Risa, she identified her father as the person that had sexually assaulted her. Then seven year-old Risa Chard testified for two hours -- relating that her father had stuck his penis into her "tutu" and "bottom" numerous times while she was visiting him in the summer of 1986. On November 19, 1987, after only 90 minutes deliberation, the Colorado jury found Richard Chard guilty on all five counts of aggravated incest. Richard John Chard was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment.

The Court of Appeals reversed Chard's conviction, finding that he had demonstrated a compelling reason for ordering a second physical and second psychological examination, and that the trial court had abused its discretion by denying these examinations. On the prosecution's further appeal to the Supreme Court of Colorado, Chard's original conviction was affirmed in 1991.

COLORADO v. RICHARD JOHN CHARD III was a 2007 arrest for failing to register locally as a convicted sex offender.

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DANIEL OWEN v. MIDDLEPORT CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ET AL is an ongoing 2021-23 New York civil court case. Edited excerpts from Plaintiff's complaint (allegations):

In approximately the years of 1965-1971, ministerial servant Robert Warne sexually abused Plaintiff as a child. ... During the dates of the sexual abuse of Plaintiff, Congregation supervised and exercised control over Plaintiff's abuser, [Bob] Warne. Congregation is where Plaintiff attended religious service as a minor child. ... [Robert] Warne confessed to Congregation's elders that he had sexually abused one or more minors who were members of Congregation when Warne was a ministerial servant. ... Congregation disfellowshipped ... and then reinstated ministerial servant [Robert] Warne one or more times for committing the sexual abuse of one or more minors who were members of Congregation.

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PEARL GRAPE v. MIDDLEPORT CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ET AL is an ongoing 2021-23 New York civil court case. Edited excerpts from Plaintiff's complaint (allegations):

In approximately the years of 1975-1981, ministerial servant Robert Warne sexually abused Plaintiff as a child. ... Plaintiff Pearl Grape was a congregant at the Middleport Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Middleport, New York, where Plaintiff attended Kingdom Hall. ... [Robert] Warne confessed to Congregation's elders that he had sexually abused Plaintiff one or more times when [Bob] Warne was a ministerial servant. Congregation disfellowshipped ... and then reinstated ministerial servant [Robert] Warne one or more times for committing the sexual abuse of one or more minors who were members of Congregation.

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KIMBERLEY ALDRIDGE v. LAWRENCE SAVINO, HENRIETTA CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ET AL was a confidentially settled 2021-23 New York civil court case. The following are edited excerpts from Plaintiff's Complaint (allegations denied entirely by defendants):

In and around 1974, when PLAINTIFF was 12 years old, her mother became [a Jehovah's] Witness [in the Henrietta] Congregation [in Rochester, New York]. Her mother was a paraplegic. The CONGREGATION elders agreed to help provide foster care for her daughter. When PLAINTIFF was 11-12 years old, she was placed by the Elders in the home of Lawrence Savino, who was a CONGREGATION elder.

At first, [LAWRENCE] SAVINO acted like a father figure to PLAINTIFF. SAVINO quickly began making advances toward her. He would kiss PLAINTIFF on the lips and put his hands down her pants to "stimulate" her several times. SAVINO would take photos of her in outfits he would buy her, and at one time laid on top of her and kissed her breast. The abuse would take place at SAVINO's home, CONGREGATION premises, public parks, and in his car.

Prior to the sexual abuse of PLAINTIFF, elders of the CONGREGATION had been warned that [LAWRENCE] SAVINO was attracted to PLAINTIFF and that she should not be placed in SAVINO's home. After PLAINTIFF was moved from SAVINO's home, SAVINO was reported to the elders of the CONGREGATION for engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct with a minor. SAVINO was publicly reproved after the elders held a judicial committee. Subsequently, he was disfellowshipped after having engaged in an extramarital affair. At no time, was SAVINO reported to public authorities by the elders or anyone else.

PLAINTIFF was trained by CONGREGATION, WATCHTOWER, and GOVERNING BODY that she should obey SAVINO and respect the individuals appointed as elders and ministerial servants, including SAVINO. ... SAVINO used his position as an elder to gain access to PLAINTIFF and used that access to molest her. CONGREGATION elders represented to PLAINTIFF and her mother that SAVINO was a good mentor for young children in the CONGREGATION and recommended that PLAINTIFF be entrusted to the custody and care of SAVINO. Upon the advice and recommendation of the CONGREGATION elders, PLAINTIFF's MOTHER agreed to let SAVINO foster PLAINTIFF. In his capacity as an elder and foster parent, [Lawrence] SAVINO routinely took PLAINTIFF out in field service and engaged in other CONGREGATION related activities with PLAINTIFF. ... Despite receiving a report regarding SAVINO's abuse of a minor and knowing his propensity to sexually abuse minors, CONGREGATION, WATCHTOWER, and GOVERNING BODY provided no warning to members of CONGREGATION whose children were at risk, including PLAINTIFF.

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M.E. v. POUGHKEEPSIE NY CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, DUTCHESS COUNTY, NEW YORK ET AL is an ongoing 2021-23 New York civil court case. Edited excerpts from Plaintiff's complaint (allegations):

As a minor, the Plaintiff was placed in a residence with Jehovah's Witness foster parents and was sexually abused while in the legal custody and care of the COUNTY. ... Plaintiff's sexual abuser, Ronald Bowman ... was at all times relevant and material hereto a practicing member of the Jehovah's Witnesses sect, and a member at Defendant CONGREGATION.

In approximately 1979, when Plaintiff was five (5) years old, Plaintiff was placed in Edwards' care by COUNTY. Plaintiff's foster parent, Tommy Lou Edwards, ... often left Plaintiff in the care of PERPETRATOR as a babysitter. Soon after she was placed in Edwards' home, PERPETRATOR began to sexually abuse Plaintiff. The abuse consisted of PERPETRATOR having Plaintiff sit on his lap, fondling her vagina, having Plaintiff fondle his penis, and digitally penetrating Plaintiff's vagina. Edwards would have Plaintiff often sleep over at PERPETRATOR'S home, and PERPETRATOR would wake Plaintiff in the middle of the night and force her to perform oral sex on him. PERPETRATOR regularly and routinely sexually assaulted and abused Plaintiff for approximately five (5) years.

When she was approximately eight (8) years old, Plaintiff disclosed the abuse to her social workers ... Plaintiff was not removed from Edwards' home and no corrective measures were undertaken; as a result, she continued to be abused by PERPETRATOR.

When she was approximately nine (9) years old, Edwards brought Plaintiff before a panel of Elders of the CONGREGATION and Plaintiff reported PERPETRATOR'S sexual abuse. PERPETRATOR was consequently disfellowshipped from the CONGREGATION, but the CONGREGATION did not report the sexual abuse to law enforcement or take any other corrective measures. The CONGREGATION instructed Edwards not to report the abuse to law enforcement or otherwise involve the authorities. The PERPETRATOR was ultimately reinstated into the CONGREGATION, and the abuse continued.

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VOLLMER 1, VOLLMER 2, VOLLMER 3 v. ROBERT VOLLMER and MICKIE VOLLMER, PENN YAN CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, BATH CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, WTBS, ET AL is an ongoing 2021-23 New York civil court case. Edited excerpts from Plaintiff's complaint (allegations):

Plaintiffs JANE DOE 1, JANE DOE 2 and JANE DOE 3 were members of a family of practicing Jehovah's Witnesses who, while living in New York during two time periods, attended the Penn Yan Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses operated by the PENN

YAN CONGREGATION, and Bath Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses operated by the BATH CONGREGATION, as well as other congregations throughout the United States, ... [The Father] ROBERT VOLLMER held the position of ministerial servant within

the Church at multiple locations ...

In approximately 1973, when the Vollmer family was living in Ohio, defendant ROBERT VOLLMER entered the bedroom of his daughter DOE 2 (starting at approximately 6 years old) and sexually molested her. Specifically, Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER digitally penetrated plaintiff DOE 2's vagina.

In approximately 1976-1977, the family moved from Mercer, PA to Hammondsport/Tyrone, New York. There, in approximately 1977-1978, Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER sexually abused DOE 1 (approximately 11-12) on multiple occasions, including fondling her breasts and genitals, penetrating her vagina with his fingers, oral sex and pressing and rubbing his erect penis against her buttocks, both in the home and at the Kingdom Hall, all for his sexual gratification.

In approximately 1977-1978, Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER also sexually abused DOE 1 (approximately 11-12) in various states on a trip to Arizona, including within, inter alia, Colorado. Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER sexually abused DOE 1 by fondling her breasts and genitals and penetrating her vagina with his fingers.

In approximately 1978-1979 Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER sexually abused DOE 3 in Kentucky by touching her buttocks (both over and under her clothing) and touching her between her legs while opening his mouth and breathing heavy, all for his sexual gratification. Also in approximately 1978-1981 Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER continued sexually abused DOE 1 (then 12-15) in Kentucky as he done in the past.

In approximately 1980, DOE 1 told DOE 3 about her abuse who in turn told Defendant MICKIE VOLLMER, their stepmother. Defendant MICKIE VOLLMER talked to DOE 1 and to elders within the Congregation in Ashland, Kentucky. DOE 1 then met with two elders upon their request. At such meeting, DOE 1 reported the sexual abuse of her by DEFENDANT ROBERT VOLLMER directly to the elders.

Rather than take any action to report the abuse to legal or child welfare authorities or otherwise protect DOE 1, instead they issued an admonishment to DOE 1 for being immodest and lying. DOE 1's report of sexual abuse was further reported by these elders to THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESS DEFENDANTS at their principal offices in New York, as required by the policies, procedures and rules in place at the time. However, WATCHTOWER, GOVERNING BODY and THE CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION also did not make a report to child welfare authorities or police. ...

Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER continued to sexually abuse DOE 1 in the same manner he had done in the past, until she left the family in approximately July, 1981 at age 15. Thereafter in approximately 1981, the Vollmer family (without DOE 1) moved from Kentucky back to Hammondsport/Tyrone, New York, where ROBERT VOLLMER continued his sexual abuse of DOE 2 (approximately 15) and where MICKIE VOLLMER committed acts of sexual abuse upon DOE 3 (approximately 13).

After the Vollmer family moved back to New York, DOE 1 called elders at the PENN YAN CONGREGATION and the BATH CONGREGATION at various times, to report the sexual abuse by defendants ROBERT VOLLMER and MICKIE VOLLMER yet again. She did not contact the elders seeking spiritual guidance of any kind, but rather to report crimes.

Between approximately 1981-1983, while living in New York, defendant ROBERT VOLLMER continue to sexual abuse DOE 2 (14-16) in New York, including, inter alia, forcing his hands down her pants and touching her vagina and breasts. In approximately 1981-1982, Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER sexually molested JANE DOE 2 (approximately 14-15) in the parking lot at the PENN YAN CONGREGATION in Penn Yan, New York.

In approximately 1981-1982, the family drove in a van from their home in New York to Tucson, Arizona to visit Defendant MICKIE VOLLMER's mother. ROBERT VOLLMER sexually molested DOE 2 (approximately 14-15) multiple times throughout this drive by digitally penetrating her vagina, including, inter alia, in New York and Colorado. This was observed by Defendant MICKIE VOLLMER who took no steps to protect DOE 2.

That same year, after returning to New York, ROBERT VOLLMER also sexually molested DOE 2 at a district convention of Jehovah's Witnesses in Rochester, New York. On one occasion between 1981-1983, while in New York, after DOE 2 (approximately 14-16) was sexually assaulted by ROBERT VOLLMER, Defendant MICKIE VOLLMER forced DOE 2 to strip and demonstrate the details of her assault, for this defendant's own sexual gratification.

Similarly, in approximately 1982-1983, while in New York, after DOE 3 (13) was sexually assaulted by her step brother, Defendant MICKIE VOLLMER forced DOE 3 to strip, touch her breasts and insert her fingers in her vagina to demonstrate the details of her assault, for this defendant's own sexual gratification.

Between approximately 1982-1983, Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER sexually molested DOE 2 (approximately 15-16) during times that he taught her to drive and at other times, including on drives to and from Corning, NY where he worked. Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER sexually assaulted DOE 2 by fondling her breasts and penetrating her vagina with his fingers.

Defendant MICKIE VOLLMER blamed DOE 2 for her sexual abuse stating that she dressed "too sexy" around him although Defendant MICKIE VOLLMER approved and had control over the way DOE 2 and her siblings dressed. ...

In 1984, DOE 2 (17) reported her sexual abuse to elders at the PENN YAN CONGREGATION, including Frank Christensen and others. She did not contact the elders seeking spiritual guidance of any kind, but rather to report crimes. The elders took no action to stop the abuse of DOE 2 and instead informed ROBERT VOLLMER and THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESS DEFENDANTS of DOE 2's report. ... ROBERT admitted the abuse to the elders in the PENN YAN CONGREGATION and to his wife, Defendant MICKIE VOLLMER. ...

None of THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESS DEFENDANTS reported the sexual abuse to law enforcement or child protective services authorities in New York, ... After DOE 2's reports, Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER continued to sexually abuse DOE 2 (17), including through forcible compulsion, in the same manner he had done before her reports.

Further, on September 25, 1987, JANE DOE 1 called the PENN YAN CONGREGATION and spoke with the then presiding overseer, Frank Christensen, regarding the sexual abuse of the Plaintiffs and their inaction in response to DOE 1 and DOE 2's disclosure of sexual abuse. Christensen gave her a cold, unconcerned response and repeatedly asked DOE 2 what witnesses she had to the abuse. DOE 1 would continue to call the congregation to re-report the abuse, leading to the elders and others in the congregation to take the phone off the hook so DOE 1 would stop calling there. ...

However, PENN YAN CONGREGATION and THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESS DEFENDANTS took no action in response to the calls. Also in 1987, DOE 1 also wrote directly to Defendant WATCHTOWER at 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY to report the sexual abuse by Defendants ROBERT VOLLMER and MICKIE VOLLMER of her and her sisters and to address the mishandling of her disclosures and DOE 2's to the elders at the PENN YAN CONGREGATION. ...

WATCHTOWER responded only by stating that "things will be handled appropriately." THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESS DEFENDANTS took no action in response to the call and letter, ... In July, 1988, Defendant ROBERT VOLLMER admitted to DOE 3 his sexual

abuse of DOE 1 and DOE 2.

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ILLINOIS v. WILLIAM CARLSON was a 1990 Illinois murder court case. In October 1992, an 18 year-old Jehovah's Witness named William Carlson pleaded "Guilty but Mentally Ill" and was sentenced to 90 years in prison. In October 1990, then 16 year-old Willie Carlson murdered both of his Jehovah's Witness Parents, Paul Carlson, 35, and Sandra Carlson, 41, at their home in Wildwood, Illinois. Paul Carlson was an "Elder" at the Libertyville, Illinois Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Carlson "rented" a .357 handgun from one of his fellow high school students, and then went home and waited for his parents to arrive home. Willie shot his father in the back of his head after he entered the dining room. Willie then fired a second shot into the forehead of his fallen father. Sandra Carlson arrived home about an hour later, and Willie shot her in the face. Willie Carlson then sexually assaulted his JW Mother's corpse. After thoughtfully returning the "rented" murder weapon, Willie fled to Canada in the family car, where he surrendered to Canadian authorities after wrecking the family car in a hit-and-run accident in Quebec.

William Carlson was described by teachers and fellow students as "very studious", "very nice", and "very clean-cut". However, Carlson was also described as being fearful, shy, and timid. Some of Willie's classmates told reporters that Willie had complained about all the WatchTower prohibitions that totally governed every facet of his life. Willie's "Elder" and "Elderette" parents reportedly were known to be even more strict than the average Jehovah's Witness Parent, and allegedly punished William Carlson for mere "pittances".

Neighbors of the Carlsons described the family as being overly close --with Willie being described as a "loner" who was kept from associating with non-JWs and particularly non-JWs of his own age. Father and son frequently worked in the yard together, and Elder Carlson was said to even occasionally take the teenager with him to work at his janitorial job at Abbott Labs. Willie was further described as a "little angel" who had been doing door-to-door Jehovah's Witness work with his parents since he was a young boy.

Willie Carlson's psychiatrist testified at his sentencing hearing that most of the time that Willie refused to discuss his relations with his JW Parents and the Jehovah's Witnesses except in the most idealized fashion. "They never did anything wrong. His parents were the best people in the world." However, when Willie Carlson was administered truth serum, he talked of long-standing physical and sexual abuse by his JW Parents.

Notably, several of Willie Carlson's Jehovah's Witness relatives, including a JW Elder named Craig C. Carlson, of Athens, Wisconsin, testified adversely against young Willie at his sentencing hearing -- particularly condemning Willie's allegations of sexual, physical, and mental abuse at the hands of his JW Parents.

CARLSON v. ESTATE OF CARLSON. In a separate civil lawsuit against the parent's estate, William Carlson alleged that both of his JW Parents had sexually molested him for years. William Carlson allegedly had exhibited other aberrant sexual behaviors over the years that would seem to confirm the possibility that such was at least partially true. This civil lawsuit was dropped after Willie Carlson's JW relatives reportedly pressured him to do so as part of his repentance to be accepted back into their good graces.

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NEW JERSEY v. THOMAS BLANKENSHIP was a 2002 Connecticut prosecution involving consensual sex between a young adult Jehovah's Witness Male and TWO DAUGHTERS of a JW Elder in one of the West Milford Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. We include this court case so that readers can compare the attitudes of JW Elders when their own JW Teenagers engage in merely consensual sex to the attitudes of JW Elders when a rank-n-file member's young child is RAPED by a fellow JW in a position of authority -- when JW Elders often will counsel the victim's parents to first consider the damage to "Jehovah's name and reputation" before publicly reporting the scandal.

In this case, a JW Male Teenager had consensual sex with a JW Elder's oldest daughter for 18 months from 1998 until 2000. That oldest daughter was 17 years old at the earliest stage of the relationship, and JW Male was then 19 years-old. However, from 2001-02, the by-then 22 year-old JW Male began another consensual relationship with the same JW Elder's younger 14 year-old daughter. When that JW Elder finally figured out why JW Male was spending so much time at his house for all those years, JW Elder did not worry long about "Jehovah's name and reputation" before he called the cops.

Although initially charged with multiple counts of sexual assault, once such were investigated, the local Prosecutor offered JW Male a deal to plead guilty to merely two counts of "child endangerment" in exchange for a probationary sentence. While one would assume appropriate the Prosecutor's response regarding the first affair, the second affair involved a 22 year-old male and a 14 year-old female, which is a scenario that normally yields serious prison time for the Perp. Does anyone else get the feeling that "someone" did not want that case to go to trial? Does the fact that it has been reported that Tom Balnkenship was once a WATCHTOWER BETHELITE clarify this puzzling scenario?

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UNITED STATES v. MARK K. TOUTJIAN was a 1999 Texas federal criminal court case. On February 11, 1999, a 44 year-old Jehovah's Witness, named Mark Toutjian, of Concord, California, was arrested by the F.B.I. in one of the United State's first internet interstate adult-child sex cases. The arrest was based on charges filed in Texas USDC by the parents of a 14 year-old girl, who lived in Sugar Land, Texas. The complaint alleged that their minor daughter had met Mark Toutjian in an internet "teen sex" chat room in June 1997. The alleged relationship was eventually discovered by the parents in February 1998.

FBI investigators alleged that, in July 1997, Mark K. Toutjian traveled from his home in California to the girl's hometown of Sugar Land, Texas, spoke with her by phone, and ultimately went to her house. Toutjian and the minor allegedly had sex in his rental car and at his motel room. The F.B.I. traced Toutjian's credit card and registration information to the motel. The F.B.I. also discovered payment records for an airline ticket from Oakland to Houston. Mark Toutjian, who was a self-employed Computer Consultant, and married father of two children, was arrested at a San Ramon jobsite. In a failed attempt to gain Toutjian's release on bond, his attorney actually announced in court that Toutjian was a Jehovah's Witness, in order to gain an advantage with the federal judge. Media reports stated that Mark Toutjian was being supported by his fellow JWs, which would seem to indicate that he may have been an "Elder". It is reported that Mark Toutjian was a WATCHTOWER BETHELITE in the mid-1970s. Outcome unknown.

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CALIFORNIA v. COSME PRESAS and COSME PRESAS v. WAYNE FRAZEE, OLIVIA MORENO, MARIN MORENO, ALICIA NAVARRO, WATCHTOWER SOCIETY ET AL are California state and federal criminal and civil court cases involving Cosme Presas, age 27, of Bakersfield, California, who claims to have been reared as a Jehovah's Witness, and further claims that he was regularly sexually molested by multiple fellow Jehovah's Witnesses in both Arvin, California, and Baja California, Mexico, when he was between the ages of 7 years-old and 11 years-old. Presas claims that he repeatedly reported the abuse to both his local Elders and the WatchTower Society, and that the only action taken was his being disfellowshipped -- apparently for "lying".

Cosme Presas is currently incarcerated awaiting trial on charges of First Degree Murder. Presas was arrested in February 2011 and charged with intentionally running over with his vehicle Eleazar Godinez Torres, age 29, in January 2011. Presas allegedly thought that Torres and his brother had broken into his pickup truck and stolen his property. Although we are unable to locate the reasons for the delay in this criminal prosecution, we suspect that there may be "competency" issues.

In November 2014, Cosme Presas filed a pro se federal civil lawsuit which named as Defendants the above named individuals, unnamed Does, and the WatchTower Society. We are uncertain as to the identity of all of the named defendants with the exception of Wayne Frazee, who is/was a 1965 graduate of the WATCHTOWER BIBLE SCHOOL OF GILEAD (Founded in 1942, the original name was "Watchtower Bible College of Gilead" in the WatchTower Cult's routine modus operandi of exaggeration. In 1947/48, the WatchTower Cult was forced to change "College" to "School" because "Gilead" did not meet the New York Department of Education's standards for use of the label, "College"), and he and his wife, Penny Frazee, served as WatchTower Missionaries in Japan and Okinawa during the 1970s. In any event, Cosme Presas is acting as his own attorney in this lawsuit, and in February 2015, his case was dismissed by the USDC, without prejudice, with leave to amend, due to failure to set forth a cognizable federal claim, and failure to establish complete diversity of citizenship between the parties. Regardless of the validity of Presas's allegations, this lawsuit has little chance of succeeding without the assistance of competent counsel.

Regardless of the outcome of these two court cases, readers should bear in mind that this mid-20s individual was reared within the Jehovah's Witness community, and such bears some degree of responsibility for the current status of the life of Cosme Presas.

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WEST VIRGINIA v. WATCHTOWER BETHELITE SERIAL CHILD MOLESTER was a 1982-83 Tucker County, West Virginia, criminal court case in which a yet-to-be-identified then 42 year-old Jehovah's Witness Minister, then living in Buckhannon, West Virginia, plea bargained "Guilty" to a single count of first-degree sexual abuse of a 9 year-old girl. Sentence unknown, but the convict is believed to have served less than two years in prison after being paroled early for good behavior.

This reportedly is the newspaper advertisement which the JW Perp used to lure the 9 year-old female victim's mother to the new traveling "photography" business he started after he received a disability pension in 1981. It was typical of similar ads which the Perp placed in newspapers in other counties located in south-central and southeastern West Virginia.

MODELS WANTED --For commercials. Any age, from babies to grandparents. No experience necessary. Apply in person only, Fri., Oct. 1 from 1 to 9 P.M. Carl's Motel Room no. 9. This could be your big chance. Don't miss it.

Reportedly, on October 6, 1982, JWPerp showed up at the home of the victim's mother for an appointment scheduled five days earlier at Carl's Motel. JWPerp allegedly convinced the victim's mother to allow him to set up his equipment in the 9 year-old girl's upstairs bedroom. JWPerp then convinced the mother to leave them alone so that the victim could become more comfortable with the shoot. JWPerp proceeded to sexually assault the young girl. As soon as JWPerp left, the victim told her mother, who reported the sexual assault to the Tucker County Sheriff. Since JWPerp had scheduled a second appointment at the victim's home, the Sheriff waited to confront JWPerp. The Sheriff hid in the girl's bedroom closet until about one hour and forty-five minutes into the second shoot, when JWPerp began massaging the girl and worked his way to touching her vagina. The Sheriff sprung from the closet and arrested JWPerp. It has been reported that JWPerp also was charged in Randolph and other WV counties, as other victims came forward after his arrest hit the newspapers, but such can't be confirmed. Outcomes unknown.

JWPerp reportedly was married two or more times prior to his conviction in 1983. JWPerp is alleged to have targeted for marriage JW Divorcees with young girls, whom he thereafter sexually molested. JWPerp allegedly was reported to the BOEs of his multiple, ever-changing congregations, but he was never disfellowshipped until after this 1983 conviction.

JWPerp is believed to have been born circa 1940 and reared by JW Parents in north-central West Virginia, possibly in the Bridgeport-Clarksburg area. JWPerp was a WATCHTOWER BETHELITE, who served an unknown term at one of the New York BETHEL facilities. Thereafter, JWPerp is believed to have returned to northern WV, where he eventually married and worked as an underground coal miner. JWPerp was awarded a "black lung" disability pension around 1981. After JWPerp's release from prison, he is believed to have relocated to an adjacent state, achieved "reinstatement" as a Jehovah's Witness Minister, and married yet another JW Female. JWPerp may be living in the Pittsburgh area since the latter 1980s. JWPerp reportedly is a potbellied, bald headed, large man, with blue eyes -- now approximately 75 years-old.

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FLORIDA v. MICHAEL ROBERT PAIGO was a 2014-16 Florida criminal prosecution. In September 2014, a 35 year-old married Jehovah's Witness named Michael R. Paigo, of Lake County, Florida, was arrested and jailed on two counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a person between 12 and 16 years old. Michael Paigo is an IT professional who has been in charge of the IT operations of three south Florida banks. Michael Paigo is alleged to have made the acquaintance of an underage teenage girl at a Lake County Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in 2013. The pair started texting and calling each other, which allegedly led to the sending of "inappropriate" pictures. The victim alleges that they kissed and touched sexually on two separate occasions. Police allegedly also "stung" Paigo using the victim to telephone Paigo and getting him to admit to incriminating activity. Paigo eventually pleaded guilty to one count of molestation in exchange for a six year prison sentence.

FLORIDA v. FRANCIS CHRISTOPHER WONG was a 2012-13 Florida criminal court case which involved a Fort Myers, Florida, Jehovah's Witnesss Elder named Francis C. Wong, who is of Chinese heritage. From 2001 to 2011, Francis Wong reportedly molested seven or more young males, ages 11 through age 17, who attended the same Cape Coral Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. In January 2012, Wong, age 41, was arrested on multiple charges of lewd and lascivious behavior. After spending only one day in jail, Wong was released on bond, but thereafter fled to Brooklyn, New York. Wong was eventually caught, and in November 2013, Francis Wong was convicted of multiple counts of lewd or lascivious molestation, and battery. Wong was sentenced to life plus 60 years.

FLORIDA v. HUGH REKEME MURRAY was a 2012-17 Florida sexual assault prosecution involving a 28 year-old male African-American Jehovah's Witness, who coincidentally was employed as a teacher's aide at the Palm Beach County School for Autism. In June 2013, Hugh R. Murray, of Lake Worth, Florida was arrested on multiple charges, including sexual assault, extortion, battery, and lewd or lascivious behavior. Police allege that the victim of Murray's criminal behavior was a 16 year-old female Jehovah's Witness who also attended the same Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness as did Murray. The then 27 year-old Murray first began "grooming" the then 15 year-old victim back in July 2012. In December 2012, Murray allegedly sexually assaulted his new underage girlfriend, and reportedly did so repeatedly until June 2013.

In June 2013, Murray allegedly twice showed up unannounced at the victim's home after she stopped answering his cellphone calls. The first time, Murray successfully talked her into sex, despite her alleged attempts to refuse Murray's advances. The second time, the unsuccessful Murray allegedly grabbed the victim by her arms, and threatened to tell her parents about her sexual misbehavior if she continued to refuse to have sex with him. After the second June 2013 incident, the victim called local police after she first told her JW Mother that Murray had merely "grabbed and harassed her".

The police contacted Murray after the report and warned him not to have any further contact with the victim. However, Murray allegedly then began texting the victim and threatening to report her fornications to the JW Elders at their Kingdom Hall, which presumably would lead to the victim being disfellowshipped and shunned, if she continued to cooperate with the police. Later, with police detectives listening in, the victim called Murray's cellphone. Murray told her that she had no right to go to the police, and that she "really screwed up" by doing so. Murray stated that it was he that took a "risk" by being with her, because he could go to jail. Murray asserted that they were both responsible for what happened, and again threatened to tell the victim's parents and the JW Elders at the Kingdom Hall. "You feel the way you do and you did what you did," Murray said. "So, if I was you, I would get things in order. ... Once I come and tell them, this is going to change a lot of things for you." Murray also threatened to post on the internet certain explicit photographs that he had taken of the victim. Hugh R. Murray remained in jail in lieu of $510,000.00 bail. Hugh R. Murray was eventually convicted on 40 counts of molestation and was sentenced to 27 years in prison.

Also see 2013-14 divorce:

HUGH REKEME MURRAY v. MARIA THORNTON-MURRAY

FLORIDA v. DONALD RUSSELL BROWN was a 2012-13 Florida criminal court case. In December 2012, in St. Lucie County, Florida, Donald R. Brown, then age 69, of Auburndale, Florida, was arrested on five counts of lewd and lascivious assault on a victim under 12 years old. Don Brown was held without bail. An unidentified mother and her two daughters reported and assisted in an investigation of allegations that Brown sexually assaulted the two daughters more than 300 times between 1995 and 2004, when all the involved parties lived in Georgia, and apparently, when all the involved parties were Jehovah's Witnesses. Brown allegedly began molesting the oldest daughter in 1995, when she was six years-old. The molestations continued until 2004, when the youngest daughter was 11 years-old. Brown apparently was a member of the household up until the mother and two daughters relocated to Fort Pierce, Florida. Sometime thereafter, Don Brown followed them to Florida. In June 2013, Donald R. Brown pled guilty to one count of attempted sexual battery of a victim under 12 years-old, and was sentenced to 6 years in prison.

FLORIDA v. BERT LEVIN COOK JR was a 2011-12 Florida state criminal prosecution involving Bert L. Cook Jr., then age 41, of Live Oak, Florida. In April 2011, Bert Cook was accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a 9 year-old girl between November 2010 and February 2011. Cook was then arrested on 3 counts of lewd and lascivious molestation. In January 2012, Bert Levin Cook pled guilty to only one count of attempted Sexual Battery on a victim under 12 years of age, and received a sentence of 8 years in prison. Released subject to registration as a Sex Offender.

FLORIDA v. RENE PAUL LEMIEUX was a 2010-11 Florida criminal prosecution of a Jehovah's Witness Minister named Rene P. Lemieux, then age 54, of Lake Mary, Florida. Rene Paul Lemieux was arrested on sexual assault charges in October 2010, in Lake Mary, Florida. In September 2011, Rene Lemieux was convicted of Lewd or Lascivious Molestation of a Victim under 12 years-old, and he was officially designated as a Sexual Predator. Sentenced to 25 years in prison, and subject to deportation thereafter.

This JW Pedophile worked as a construction contractor and moved about Florida with some frequency, which raises the question whether he was running away from "victims" for decades, and thus whether the WatchTower Society had full warning that he was a predator. Rene Paul Lemieux is the son of Jehovah's Witness Minister Raoul Lemieux, and the extended JW Lemieux and Balestrieri families of Ocala, Florida. Rene Paul Lemieux is the husband of Joe'e Anita Lemieux. Rene Paul Lemieux is believed to be a member of the LARGE community of ILLEGAL ALIEN FRENCH JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES who come down to Florida from Quebec, Canada, and never return home.

FLORIDA v. JEWEL BARTHOLEME GRIER was a 2000-18 Florida criminal court case which involved the "molestation" of four Jehovah's Witness teenagers by a then 30 year-old African-American Jehovah's Witness, named Jewel B. Grier. The four Jehovah's Witnesses were members of the Coconut Creek, Florida Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. The sexual encounters occurred over a period of several months in 1999-2000. The four JW Female Teens (two were 17 years-old , one was 14 years-old, and fourth was ??) kept the sexual encounters quiet until telling their JW Parents in May 2001. Jewel Grier was charged with seventeen counts, including lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious conduct, attempted sexual battery, felony battery, battery, and sexual battery. Although there were four victims, the state only prosecuted Grier for crimes against three of the victims. Curiously, the fourth victim did not even testify in the prosecutions.

Sorting out this ten year old and still ongoing case is somewhat difficult because there were two prosecutions -- one with two victims, and a separate prosecution with a victim named Melissa Reynolds, a/k/a Melissa Holmes -- and multiple appeals in Florida Appellate Court and the Florida Supreme Court. The prosecutions may have been separated after the first conviction, in 2004, which was reversed on appeal, and had to be re-tried. Grier was finally sentenced to 15 years in state prison in 2008 (currently plus 3). He continues to appeal. Interesting excerpt:

That last statement possibly indicates that Grier had a position and title in the Coconut Creek Florida Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.

2025 UPDATE: Jewel Grier was released on probation as a designated Sex Offender in June 2024 until 2039. Grier lives in Fort Pierce, Florida.

FLORIDA v. HENRY WILLIAM HAUCH and FLORIDA v. HENRY WILLIAM HAUCH were two 2006-08 Florida criminal court cases. In June 2006, a 14 year-old Jehovah's Witness female told family members that a Jehovah's Witness ELDER at the Titusville Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, named Henry W. Hauch, age 41, of Mims, Florida, had had sex with her in 1999, when she was only 8 years old. She alleged that the assault had occurred when she had stayed the night with, and slept with, Henry W. Hauch and his wife, Aurora Hauch. Police were initially unable to obtain an arrest warrant based on the testimony of the 14 year-old Jehovah's Witness female, but in January 2007, a second female came forward and alleged that Henry Hauch also had sexually molested her. Outcome of both cases unclear, but appear to have been dropped.

A Jehovah's Witness elder who investigators said raped a girl when she was 8 years old has been arrested, Volusia County sheriff's officials said Monday. And now police are anxious to learn whether there are any others who may have been attacked by 40-year-old Henry William Hauch, of Mims, who has been charged with sexual battery. Investigators said Hauch, an elder with the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witness in Titusville, attacked the girl in 1999 when she was 8.

Information about the assault surfaced in June 2006 when the girl -- now 15 -- was discussing sex and boys with her older sister, according to the report. When the sister asked the accuser whether she had ever had sex, she said, "Yes, but it was wrong." The girl's parents were friends of Hauch's and attended the same church. She told her sibling that she had stayed at the Hauch home sometime in 1999.

The teen said she had to sleep with Hauch and his wife because the couple had no other beds in their residence, the report states. Detectives were able to secure a warrant recently after another woman who claimed she was sexually molested by Hauch came forward in January.

Hauch was released from the Volusia County Branch Jail on Friday after posting $250,000 bail. Calls to Hauch's business and home were not returned Monday afternoon. -- News-Journal, March 27, 2007, Edited.

FLORIDA v. HENRY LOUIS HAUCH were three separate 1985-88 attempted but dropped prosecutions of the father of Henry William Hauch, who also attended the Titusville Florida Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. These three obscure, failed prosecutions appear to be related to two assaults and a theft of property. Henry L. Hauch, age 46, living in Mims, Florida, died in 1989. The Hauch family relocated from Pittsburgh in 1974, thus may be an old multi-generation Jehovah's Witness family. Interestingly, HWH's wife, Aurora Hauch, is a third generation JW whose mother is from South Dakota, and father is from Minnesota, which makes one further wonder if this extended JW family includes former BETHELITES???

FLORIDA v. ALTON GENE MCJUNKIN was a 1993-94 Florida criminal court case. In October 1993, Alton G. McJunkin, age 47, the PRESIDING OVERSEER of the DeBary Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses was accused by an 18 year-old female of sexually assaulting her multiple times between 1986 and 1992. Outcome unknown. Alton McJunkin was a lifelong JW who had been prosecuted during the Vietnam War for refusing to be drafted into the military.

FLORIDA v. ANTHONY WAYNE ROTELLA was a 2005-06 Florida CHILD MOLESTATION prosecution. In October 2006, Anthony Wayne Rotella, of Largo, Florida, pled "guilty" to one count of solicitation to tampering with evidence, and received a 5 year prison sentence. In December 2006, Anthony W. Rotella again pled guilty to one count of lewd or lascivious conduct with a minor, which was the original charge for which Tony Rotella was arrested, and was sentenced to 7 years concurrent. Anthony Rotella was released in 2011, subject to 8 years probation, and registration as a Sex Offender.

In April 2005, Anthony Rotella, then age 42, was arrested for offering $20.00 to a 10 year-old boy to have sex with him in the restroom of a Port St. Lucie Super Wal-Mart. During the subsequent investigation, Rotella's computer was seized and found to contain child pornography. During the subsequent months sitting in the Martin County Jail awaiting various hearings, Rotella began to solicit the theft and destruction of his computer hard-drive from the property-evidence room. Rotella also discussed the possible solicitation of the murders of the 10 year-old boy and a former attorney whom Rotella had fired (for which prosecutors considered filing charges, but eventually did not do so due to having been unable to collect sufficient evidence -- see below). Rotella's solicitations came to the attention of the Sheriff in October 2005, and Rotella's visitation sessions and telephone calls were monitored and recorded.

In February 2006, during a series of telephone calls to his JW sister, Janet Rotella attempted to use a cryptic "numbers-equal-letters" code, based on the text on page 3 of the January 15, 2006, issue of the WATCHTOWER magazine, to relay a message to his JW brother, John Rotella, to give a $300.00 money order to the supposed "crooked" Deputy, whom Tony Rotella had been led to believe would arrange to steal Rotella's hard-drive from the property-evidence room, and then destroy such.

Although Anthony Rotella's JW Mother reportedly nixed the scheme, at least one local media source quoted a local law enforcement official as claiming that Rotellas's JW siblings wanted to follow through with it, but none of Rotella's JW family were ever charged. It was the nixing of the scheme to have Tony Rotella's hard-drive stolen and destroyed that prevented the Sheriff's "sting" to continue to its next stage -- the purported murder solicitations -- during which it might have been possible to collect sufficient evidence to charge Rotella with soliciting two murders.

FLORIDA v. CHARLES LEE PEARCE was a 2012-15 Florida criminal prosecution of a 67 year-old Jehovah's Witness Minister named Charles L. Pearce, of Pensacola, Florida. In August 2012, Charles Pearce was arrested on charges of LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS MOLESTATION of a victim less than 12 years of age. (Online commentary alleges that the victim was a young female child of another JW -- probably a relative.) In what appears to have been a plea deal, in October 2012, charges were reduced to CHILD ABUSE-NEGLECT. In May 2013, Charles Lee Pearce was reportedly sentenced to 36 months probation. Pearce allegedly still attends the East Hill Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Pensacola. In 2016, Pearce's wife filed for divorce.

FLORIDA v. CHRISTOPHER DALE ROWLES was a 2012-13 CHILD MOLESTATION prosecution of then 43 year-old Christopher D. Rowles, of Naples, Florida., whose 13 year-old son, Jonathan Rowles, had shot and killed their JW Wife/Mother back in August 2010. In March 2012, Christopher Rowles, was arrested and jailed on charges of sexually molesting an unidentified girl (believed to be Rowles' "step-daughter", who refused to testify against him) repeatedly while she slept when she was 14 years-old to 17 years-old. Rowles confessed such to police. In June 2013, Rowles was convicted of one count of lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim 12 to 15 years old, and was sentenced to only 4 years in state prison. Release date is 10/2015. Still on Sex Offender registry as of 2024.

During his time in the Naples Jail Center, Chris Rowles was called to testify in court proceedings for his son 15-year-old Jonathan Rowles, who fatally shot his mother -- Rowles' wife -- in August 2010. Jonathan Rowles was found delinquent, the juvenile equivalent of guilty, in the death of his mother, Kelly Ann Rowles, then age 39. In February, he was ordered to serve at least six months in a moderate-risk juvenile justice facility, which would allow Jon Rowles to receive intensive mental health treatment.

GEORGIA v. LEONARD BERNARD PALMITESTO was a 1996-97 Georgia state criminal prosecution of a "mobile" Jehovah's Witness who uses multiple aliases, aka Leonard B. Palmitesto, aka Leonard Palmitesto, aka Leo B. Palmitesto, aka Leo Palmitesto, aka Lenny B. Palmitesto, aka Leon B. Palmitesto, aka Leon Palmitesto, aka Lenny Palmitesto, plus inaccurate spellings of his surname, etc. Palmitesto is originally from Brooklyn, NY; has lived in multiple cities in Florida -- Port Richey (where his elderly DEVOUT JW MOTHER lives), Inverness, and Citrus County; and currently resides in Brunswick, Georgia. Leonard Pamitesto is now a Registered Sex Offender. Leonard B. Palmitesto, then age 43, was convicted of one count of Statutory Rape and one count of Child Molestation committed in June 1996, and was sentenced in June 1997 to 15 years in prison. Palmitesto was released in September 2010.

FLORIDA v. PALMITESTO, and FLORIDA v. PALMITESTO. Palmitesto was arrested in Port Richey, Florida, for parole violations in 2011 and 2012. He apparently relocated back to Brunswick, Georgia thereafter.

GEORGIA v. LEONARD BERNARD PALMITESTO was a 2016-17 CHILD MOLESTATION prosecution which took two trials. The jury "hung" on the first trial, but convicted this serial Pedophile the second time. Palmitesto, then age 63, was accused of sexually assaulting the 13 year-old developmentally disabled daughter of his girlfriend in July and August of 2016. Sentenced to 30 years in prison.

FLORIDA v. KENNETH DONALD WEAVER (1988), FLORIDA v. KENNETH DONALD WEAVER (1995), FLORIDA v. KENNETH DONALD WEAVER (2000), and FLORIDA v. KENNETH DONALD WEAVER (2008). Kenneth D. Weaver (multiple aliases), born 2/27/1951, is designated by the State of Florida as a SEXUAL PREDATOR.

In 1988, Ken Weaver spent 8 months in prison for writing bad checks. In September 2000, Kenneth Weaver, aka Conrad Weaver, aka Donald Weaver, was convicted on three counts of theft, plus the charge of "Sexual Battery/Coercion of a Child (Female) by an Adult", in Pinellis County, Florida, and was sentenced to 7 years in prison. Released in 2005.

In April 2008, Kenny Weaver was convicted on the charge of "Failure To Register", in Gulf County, Florida. Ken Weaver was arrested in 2017 and 2019, in Gulf County, for not maintaining his Sex Offender address.

The ST. PETERSBURG TIMES has TWICE published info about Weaver, once in 1978, which was about his mysterious disappearance, which included info that such was not his first disappearance, and that Weaver had been medically discharged from the military. In a 2002 article about the shunning of a former Jehovah's Witness who was once in the same St. Petersburg Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses as Weaver, his wife, and daughter, the newspaper published the following info regarding a 1995 interaction with law enforcement:

FLORIDA v. HUGH BENJAMIN MARTIN was a 1994-95 Florida criminal court decision. In February 1995, a Jehovah's Witness Elder at one of the Clearwater, Florida Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, named Hugh Benjamin Martin, then age 61, pleaded "guilty" to two charges of Lewd and Lascivious Behavior with a Child under the age of 12, and was sentenced to a mere two years of house arrest, followed by 13 years' probation.

On June 24, 1993, during the 1993 summer WatchTower Convention, held in St. Petersburg, Florida's ThunderDome, Hugh B. Martin fondled and twice digitally penetrated his 9 year-old grand-daughter while she was in his care at the stadium. Later that same day, at his home in Clearwater, Florida, Hugh Martin again sexually molested that same granddaughter. Circumstances leading to discovery of the attacks and Martin's arrest are unknown.

FLORIDA v. RONALD LEE ALLEN JR was a 1989 Florida criminal conviction. In May 1989, then 26 year-old Ronald L. Allen, then of Sarasota, Florida, was convicted of Sexual Battery on a child less than 12 years-old, and was sentenced to 25 years in state prison. Released in July 1999.

FLORIDA v. RONALD LEE ALLEN JR. In August 2011, Brother Ron Allen, then 48 years-old, then of Wildwood, Florida, but currently of Ocala, Florida, was arrested on two counts of violating Sex Offender Registry requirements. Outcome unknown.

In 2001, XJW Parents named "Clemens", who live in Mount Shasta, California, publicly alleged that in 1996 that their then 11 year-old son had told them that the 16 year-old daughter of a PROMINENT fellow Jehovah's Witness Elder had been molesting him repeatedly during the six years that the JW Parents had used her as a babysitter, (her JW family lived only a few blocks away in the same subdivision). The JW Parents reported their son's accusation to the BOE at the Mount Shasta Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, who apparently questioned the 16 year-old daughter of their PROMINENT fellow Jehovah's Witness Elder. When she denied the accusation, the BOE reported back to JW Parents that since it was their 11 year-old son's word against the word of the 16 year-old daughter of a PROMINENT fellow Jehovah's Witness Elder, then there was nothing that they could do. A "second witness" to the molestations was required. XJW Parents reported that they later learned that the JW Daughter was working at a local daycare center.

CALIFORNIA v. SABRINA E. was a 2003 criminal prosecution of "Sabrina E." for stalking and sexually assaulting an unidentified 16 year-old male who is believed to have been a fellow Jehovah's Witness congregant of the perpetrator. Sabrina E.'s status in that Jehovah's Witness congregation is unclear due to her JW Mother's statement that after Sabrina was arrested/prosecuted for the aforementioned crimes, that Congregation's BOE had warned JW Mother to keep Sabrina away from that congregation's teenagers. (JW Mother's public statement appears to be intentionally misleading given that the JW Elders would have done more to remedy such a situation than merely "warn" JW Mother to keep her daughter away from the congregation's teenagers.)

Sabrina E., who probably was 18-22 years-old at the time of the stalking/assault, was herself a victim of repeated child molestation committed by her deceased father. Sabrina was psychiatrically hospitalized after her arrest. Notably, JW Mother (named Cynthia S. and married a second time to Roger S.) alleged that her deceased first husband's family were all sexual predators.

CALIFORNIA v. CHARLES JONES (1991) and CALIFORNIA v. CHARLES JONES (1996-2012). Described as "very religious", Charles Jones has been a Jehovah's Witness since 1980. Jones has testified at trial that he considers his WatchTower religion to be "very important in his life". At least two psychologists have also labeled Jones a "pedophile", and the state of California has adjudged Jones to be a "Sexually Violent Predator". Jones has repeatedly blamed his personal problems on a dysfunctional marriage, including the fact that his wife was not a Jehovah's Witness, and the fact that his own WatchTower religion discouraged him from divorcing her. Jones has admitted to one psychologist that as early as 1985 that he would visit public swimming pools in order to "touch" young children. Jones' first pedophilia-related prosecution came in 1991, when he molested a 4 year-old girl at an apartment complex, while working at his window blind cleaning business. Jones was convicted of that assault, as well as on charges that he exposed himself to another 7 year-old girl and a 3 year-old boy during that same assault. Jones was sentenced to one year in jail, probation, and mandatory counseling.

Jones claims that at the time of the 1991 offense that he was then "disfellowshipped" because of his habit of visiting prostitutes due to his wife's failure to maintain a normal sexual relationship with him. Jones was "reinstated" in 1994, and Jones was encouraged to begin participating in door-to-door recruiting. In 1996, while still on probation from the 1991 offense, and while continuing to receive court ordered counseling, Jones molested a five-year-old girl while cleaning window blinds in that girl's home. Jones was sent to prison for a total of six years for that offense. Jones chose to stay in county jail at the end of his prison sentence, rather than be transferred to a state hospital where he would receive treatment for his mental illness. In November 2007, the DA filed a petition for Jones's commitment under California's Sexually Violent Predators Act. The trial court determined that Jones was an SVP. The court committed Jones to the Department of Mental Health for treatment and confinement in a secure facility for an indeterminate term. In February 2012, the California Court of Appeals affirmed that Jones was a SVP, but remanded Jones' case back to trial court on the issue of length of confinement.

Interestingly, similar to the CARY VERSE case summarized below, Charles Jones has indicated that if he is released that he plans to reside with a fellow Jehovah's Witness in Coalinga, California, and that he has arranged for a job and a circle of support in Fresno. Jones claims that he last went house-to-house to share his WatchTower beliefs in 1994 or 1995, but says that he does not think he would re-offend if he went door-to-door in the future -- because the "brother" with whom Jones would go out in service would supposedly be informed of Jones' history of child molestation.

CALIFORNIA v. MICHAEL JAMES SMITH is a 1994-2011 ongoing California case involving a Jehovah's Witness named Michael J. Smith. In 1994, Michael Smith was charged with 56 counts stemming from his molestation of four boys in their early teens. Smith met all of his victims through his painting business. In each case, Smith "groomed his victims" by offering them employment, and then befriending them, buying them gifts, taking them on trips, and inviting them into his home. After establishing a trusted relationship, he would molest the boys. Smith pled guilty to 2-3 counts against each of the four victims; and in exchange, the remaining 45 counts were dismissed, and Smith was sentenced to 21 years in state prison.

In May 2005, Smith was released from prison and placed on parole. One of the conditions of parole was that he not have contact with anyone under the age of 18 without the permission of his parole officer. Smith secured full-time employment as a parking lot attendant manager. Smith attended a relapse prevention sexual offender treatment program three times per week. As a Jehovah's Witness, Michael Smith also attended a Napa County Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses at least three times per week.

In December 2005, Smith's parole officer gave permission for Smith to move to an apartment building where there were children. In February 2006, while doing some painting for his landlord, Smith paid an 11 year-old neighbor's boy to help him paint. Thereafter, Smith started buying the boy presents and inviting him to Smith's apartment. In July 2006, the boy's parents finally learned that Smith was a registered sex offender, and advised Smith's parole officer about Smith's relationship with their son. While being detained for his parole violation, a petition to commit Smith as an "Sexually Violent Predator" was filed. At the conclusion of a five-day court trial, the court found that Smith qualified as an SVP, and committed Smith to the custody of the Department of Mental Health for an indeterminate commitment. Smith's attempts to be released have thus far been unsuccessful.

CALIFORNIA v. DANE SCOTT is an EXTREMELY INTERESTING 2001-11 California criminal court case. From Summer 1999 until Summer 2000, Dane "Scotty" Scott worked with fellow Jehovah's Witnesses Jose X and Elder James McQueen at the same Santa Clara, California home improvement company, which was owned by Jehovah's Witnesses, and whose employees were mainly Jehovah's Witnesses.

In December 1999, then 39 year-old Jehovah's Witness Dane Scott "coincidentally" met a 12 year-old Jehovah's Witness, named "Jamie" at a Santa Clara Mall. Starting a few days later, Scott began visiting Jamie's home while her JW Parents were at work. Scott would leave Jamie small amounts of money after she allowed him to fondle her. Over the next 12 months (2000-2001), the sexual conduct gradually progressed to full intercourse. Jamie's JW Mother caught her with a pregnancy test kit in January 2001, and Jamie revealed the affair. Interestingly, it took three days for Jamie's JW Mother to call the police. After a month of investigation, Scott was arrested in late February 2001. By the time this case went to trial in November 2001, Jamie already had been impregnated by some other male.

In July 2000, then 40 year-old Dane Scott, who had by then changed employment, stopped by the home of former co-worker and fellow Jehovah's Witness, Jose X, during the middle of the afternoon. Jose X's 14 year-old daughter Sandra supposedly told Scott that her father was not home and went back to drying her hair after a recent shower. Coincidentally, only a few minutes later, Sandra went into the backyard to pick up after the family's two pitbulls, where Sandra found Scott sitting -- with at least one the family's two pitbulls present. Sandra supposedly ignored Scott, and began picking up after the pitbulls. Scott supposedly embraced Sandra from behind for about five minutes, while fondling her breasts and rubbing his erect penis into her backside. While one of pitbulls watched, Scott dragged Sandra into the garage, forced her onto a couch, and began unbuckling his pants. Sandra then summoned the pitbull, so Scott let her go. Sandra ran into the house, locked the door, and woke up her sleeping JW Mother. Sandra told JW Mother that Scott "had tried to embrace her". Mother and Sandra locked all the doors and windows as Scott went around trying such and hollering for Sandra to come out. JW Mother telephoned Jose X at work, and told him only that Scott was at their house, and was acting strange. Jose X arrived quickly as Scott walked down the driveway. Scott simply hung his head as Jose X chastised him for coming to his house when Scott knew he wasn't there, and scaring his wife and child. Scott was ordered never to return.

Jose X reported Scott to the JW Elders at Scott's Santa Clara Kingdom Hall. Former co-worker Elder James McQueen and Elder Sal Palma met with the family to investigate whether "porneia" had occurred. Sandra reported only that Scott had touched her breasts through her clothes as he embraced her from behind. Sandra denied any direct contact with her breasts or genitals, and did not tell them that Scott had pulled her into the garage. After discussing the matter, and feeling that the matter had been solved by Jose X's ordering Scott to stay away, the two JW Elders and two JW Parents decided not to call the police, and Elder James McQueen even destroyed his notes.

Although Dane Scott was arrested in February 2001, Santa Clara Police did not learn about the "Sandra Incident" until August 2001, when Sandra disclosed the incident to her "psychotherapist". Sandra and her family, and probably every JW in the greater Santa Clara area, knew that Scott was in jail for his affair with Jamie -- the 12-13 year-old Jehovah's Witness. Although Sandra told her psychotherapist that Scott was in jail, and the Jamie affair was discussed with her psychotherapist a week later by both Sandra and her JW Father, at trial, Sandra testified that she did not know that Scott had been jailed for his affair with Jamie until some time after those meetings with her psychotherapist.

At the November-December 2001 trial, for the "Jamie Affair", Dane Myron Scott was convicted of three counts of lewd touching, one count of digital penetration, and one count of sexual intercourse with a minor under the age of 14. For the "Sandra Incident", Scott was convicted of one count of lewd touching and one count of misdemeanor assault. Because Scott had four prior convictions for residential burglary and possession of stolen property, and had served two prior prison sentences (before being hired by the Jehovah's Witness Home Improvement Company),California's "three strikes' law kicked in. Scott was sentenced to prison for 100 years to life, and more. Scott's conviction and sentence was affirmed in 2004 by the California Court of Appeals, and he is still "appealing" in 2011.

A Jehovah's Witness, named Subrena L. Moore, 44, of Stockton, California, died in March 2005. Moore was a member of the Stockton South Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses. Moore's 15 year-old daughter, Raquel Alexander, went to live with relatives, who possibly were also JWs. Click HERE to read Raquel Alexander's 2005 story as to how she became "homeless" when she told her GrandMother that a relative had molested her in August 2005.

CALIFORNIA v. THOMAS LEROY HENNAGAN (2000 and previous). HENNAGAN v. DEPT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES was a 2007-8 federal California civil case which appears to relate to Thomas L. Hennagan's conviction and imprisonment for the sexual molestation of his biological minor daughter, Charlotte R., although only convictions for multiple auto thefts can be located. Only sketchy details available. This appellate opinion seems to indicate that Thomas Hennagan comes from an extended family which includes multiple Jehovah's Witnesses. Hennegan became an adamant JW once in prison, and attempted to convert Charlotte to the JWs, or he at least used the farce of such as a means to communicate with Charlotte, who at the time was extremely confused as to what type of relationship existed between her father and her. One note from Charlotte even indicated that some of the relatives were questioning whether Hennagan was even her father, and/or whether he was her child's father.

Numerous media reports make much of the fact that Jim D. Wolfenbarger supposedly "gradually converted" to the Jehovah's Witnesses, in 1996, while in prison. What most media reports fail to relate is that Wolfenbarger's mother and sister (Leah Harrington), and a cousin (Donna Valles), who have all publicly advocated his release, and possibly other relatives, are all Jehovah's Witnesses -- which raises the real PROBABILITY that Jim Wolfenbarger was actually reared in a Jehovah's Witness family.

NEELY v. DIRECTOR was a 2003-11 California criminal court case in which William Stewart Neely was convicted and imprisoned for sexually assaulting over a period of years his three step-daughters, whom were being reared as Jehovah's Witnesses by their JW Mother, Kumcha Neely. Although this legal opinion does not indicate that William Neely was a JW, it does indicate that he initially was a very strict parent to these step-daughters after marrying their mother. It is also a fact that Jehovah's Witnesses are highly discouraged from marrying non-JWs, although it is not known whether the Mother was a JW at the time of marriage. Does anyone know whether William S. Nelly was ever associated with the Wilton, California Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses?

However, Cary Verse had been reared as a Jehovah's Witness by a strict Jehovah's Witness mother, named Tonnie Verse, of Oakland, California, who had married a career military husband after she was divorced from Verse's father. Verse wrote in 2004 that he first realized that he was a homosexual one day when he was 8 or 9, while looking at other boys while at a swimming pool. Verse wrote that later that same day:

Reportedly, 11 year-old Cary Verse "bribed" a 6 year-old boy to fondle him. The victim reported the incident, but the boy's military parents would not press charges. When he was 12 years-old, Cary Verse forced himself sexually on another boy, but was caught. The DA's office offered Verse counseling rather than prosecuting him.When Cary Verse was a 17 year-old high school student, he "fell in love" with a 14 year-old male teammate on his high school track team. Verse invited the teammate to spend the night. While "wrestling", Verse pulled a knife and forced the teammate to allow Verse to kiss and fondle him. The teammate reported the assault, and Verse was finally prosecuted. Verse was confined to a juvenile detention camp for that 1988 conviction. Cary Verse befriended a 17 year-old inmate, who Verse convinced to escape. However, once the pair had escaped, Verse then sexually assaulted the 17 year-old inmate. Verse, who was 18 years-old by then, was sent to county jail, where he tried to sexually assault a cellmate. For that assault, Verse was sentenced to a 44 month prison term, in 1990, but Verse was paroled in February 1992. In March 1992, Verse, 21, beat up, tied up, and attempted to sexually assaulted a 22 year-old homeless man, while they both were in a Richmond, California homeless shelter. Verse was sentenced to 12 years in prison for that 1992 conviction.

Verse spent six years in prison before being sent to Atascadero State Hospital to join the Sexual Offender Commitment Program. There, Cary Verse made friends with another Jehovah's Witness inmate, and the pair apparently "spiritually-upbuilt" each other. After Verse's release in 2004, controversy followed Verse everywhere he tried to live. No one wanted Verse living in their neighborhood -- that is, except for Verse's fellow Jehovah's Witnesses. To make a point, one or more of Verse's fellow JWs even allowed Verse to be alone with their teenage son -- something that violated the terms of his release, and eventually got his release revoked. At one 2004 hearing, one Jehovah's Witness, named Birgitta Ericsson, testified on Verse's behalf, stating in part:

CALIFORNIA v. VIRGINIA BURNS was a 1992 California juvenile court decision. In February 1992, an 86 year-old Jehovah's Witness Male, named Luther Louis Armstrong, Sr., was found stabbed to death in his Modesto area home. Armstrong's neighbors and fellow JWs decried the murder of this elderly man, whom they described as "gentle", "easy-going", "religious", and "thoroughly devoted to the Jehovah's Witnesses". Within a few days, a 14 year-old girl from Los Banos, California, named Virginia Burns, was arrested and eventually convicted of Armstrong's murder. Given the nature of this case, few details are available. However, it was disclosed that "Ginny" had once lived in Armstrong's neighborhood when she was younger. In fact, in 1988, Ginny had reported to Modesto authorities that she had been sexually molested by Armstrong. Although a warrant had been issued for Armstrong's arrest, that warrant had never been served. The family's move from the neighborhood possibly influenced such??? Burns was sentenced to to the California Youth Authority presumably until she reached majority.

CALIFORNIA v. DONALD LOWELL GLEW (DOB: 06-14-1951) was a 1989 California criminal court case in which a Jehovah's Witness Ministerial Servant named Donald L. Glew, then age 38, was convicted on four counts of child molestation and sentenced to 14 years in prison.

DOES v. GLEW (2004). In a 2004 California civil lawsuit, it was alleged that Don Glew had sexually molested a number of infants in the Santa Rosa Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses and the Petaluma Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses where he had been appointed as a Ministerial Servant, including his own step-daughter. In the civil lawsuit, two males and two females alleged that Don L. Glew had molested them from 1982 through 1988, when they were one to five years old. The lawsuit further alleged that there had been other victims in other congregations dating back to 1980, and that JW Elders had been aware of that fact. Despite the fact that Donald Glew had served as a Ministerial Servant all the way back to the late 1970s, the WatchTower Society told reporters that Glew had never served in any "position of responsibility".

CALIFORNIA v. CHARLES DRUE SMITH was a 1980-82 California criminal court case in which a caucasian Jehovah's Witness named Charles D. Smith, aka Charles Dre Smith, then in his mid 30s, was convicted of LEWD OR LASCIVIOUS ACTS WITH CHILD UNDER 14 YEARS.

PENNSYLVANIA v. JAMES ARTHUR McQUEEN JR. was a 2011-14 Pennsylvania court case involving James A. McQueen, age 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and numerous previous New Jersey addresses. In September 2012, a Philadelphia jury convicted James McQueen (African-American) of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, endangering the welfare of a child, indecent assault, and corruption of minors. Those charges all related to Jim McQueen's repeated sexual assaults on his young stepdaughter from the time that she was 5 years-old until she told her JW Mother, Alethia McQueen, in March 2011, when the victim was approximately 13 years-old. James Arthur McQueen was sentenced to 32-65 years in prison. Affirmed on appeal.

Reportedly, James McQueen began to orally sodomize his young step-daughter not long after he married her mother -- when she was around 5 years-old. When the victim was 7 years-old, McQueen began to sodomize her anally. Vaginal penetration occurred far less frequently. The victim first revealed her abuse to her Mother at their local Kingdom Hall while the entire family attended the Thursday night Theocratic Ministry School and Service Meeting. Alethia McQueen spoke with JW Elder Taylor Brandy, who advised that the abuse be reported to the police. Trial testimony alleged that McQueen's own Mother, Charlene McQueen, attempted to convince Alethia McQueen not to cooperate with the prosecution.

PENNSYLVANIA v. ADRIAN BEN WAGNER was a 2013-14 Pennsylvania criminal prosecution and conviction of Adrian B. Wagner, then age 38, of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Adrian Wagner was tried on 28 felonies relating to possession and distribution of child pornography after law enforcement seized from his home 115 videos containing child pornography and beastiality. Wagner was also charged with trading online these and other videos with other child pornographers. Outcome unknown, but Adrian Ben Wagner is currently incarcerated in Pennsylvania state prison.

Adrian Ben Wagner and four younger siblings were reared in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, by Jehovah's Witness Parents. Thomas Wagner, father, reportedly was a JW Elder who professed to be one of the "anointed", a/k/a "one of the 144,000". Adrian Wagner published online his association with Jehovah's Witnesses as recent as 2012 -- apparently at the same time that he was dealing in child porn.

PENNSYLVANIA v. ADRIAN BEN WAGNER was a 2001-02 Pennsylvania criminal prosecution and conviction of Adrian B. Wagner, then age 26, of York County, Pennsylvania, on charges of possession of child pornography. Wagner served only 11 months in state prison, but was required to register as a sex offender.

PENNSYLVANIA v. ADRIAN BEN WAGNER was a 1995 Pennsylvania criminal prosecution and conviction of Adrian B. Wagner, then age 20, of Columbia, Pennsylvania, on charges of child abuse, and spent 8 months in prison. Specifically, in April 1995, Adrian Wagner physically assaulted an unidentified 2 year-old girl by first beating her, and thereafter giving her a cold bath while the bathroom window was opened. Someone eventually took the child to the hospital where she was initially unresponsive and believed to be dead. That child barely survived that ordeal.

STATE v. STEPHEN VAN DER SLUYS was a 1986 New York criminal court case which involved Stephen Van Der Sluys, 34, who was an active minister in the Syracuse, New York; Farmington, New York; Mechanicsville, New York; and Canandaigua, New York Congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses. Van Der Sluys apparently first came to the attention of law enforcement in Spring 1985, when he was convicted and jailed for one year for sodomizing and raping a teenaged foster child ($$$) who had been placed in the family's home through the state foster care program. At some point, New York authorities also began to investigate the deaths of Stephen Van Der Sluys' three children, which had occurred in the late 1970s. Heath, age 16 months, died in 1976, supposedly from choking on a quarter. Heather, age 3 months, died in 1977, supposedly from SIDS. Vicki, age 14 months, died in 1979, supposedly from SIDS.

The first two children each had a $10,000.00 life insurance policy. Vicki, the third child, had a $30,000.00 life insurance policy. After Vicki died, Van Der Sluys and his wife, Jane, then had three more children. Although there was no indication that Jane knew about the prior murders, a Prosecutor told a reporter that the only reason those three children were not killed was because Jane would not allow Stephen to buy a life insurance policy on them. In the 1986 murder trial, Stephen Van Der Sluys was convicted of second-degree murder for the suffocation death of Heather. Van Der Sluys pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in Vicki's death, which was also believed to have been by suffocation. Van Der Sluys was sentenced to 25 years to life for the 1977 murder, and 8 1/2 to 25 years for the 1979 slaying. The Prosecutor decided not to pursue the 1976 death. The primary motive in the deaths was the insurance money.

OREGON v. ROGER MATTHEWS WALTERS (1995) and OREGON v. ROGER MATTHEWS WALTERS (1981). The latest information that we could find on a Jehovah's Witness named Roger M. Walters is from September 2008. In August 2008, Roger Walters, then age 64, was paroled from state prison to the Benton County Transition Center, in Corvallis, Oregon, where, until 2020, Walters will live under a 5:00 PM to 8:00 AM curfew. It is assumed that by 2014 that Walters has completed both required psychological treatment and a class on obtaining gainful employment. One can only wonder whether Walters is going door-to-door in field service.

In 1981, Roger Matthews Walters was convicted (plea bargain assumed) merely of "sexual abuse" of a 13-year-old petite blond haired girl in Lincoln County, Oregon. Roger Walters served five years in state prison. In 1980, Walters had approached a 13 year-old girl and attempted to persuade her to help him find his lost dog. When she refused Walter's offer of money, Walters forced her into his automobile, drove her to his trailer, where he raped and sodomized her.

In August 1987, only a few months after being released from prison, Walters approached another 13 year-old petite blond haired girl and asked her to help him find his lost dog. This girl also refused Walters offer of money and rode her bicycle home where her mother was conducting a yard sale. The girl's mother telephoned police. Before the police arrived, Walters stopped at the yard sale and even spoke to the mother. An overeager jury convicted Walters of attempted kidnapping, attempted rape, and attempted sodomy, but that conviction was eventually overturned by a federal court. In 1995, Walters was convicted only of attempted kidnapping. Only Walters "dangerous offender" status kept him from serving a short term.

In April 2002, Bagley was initially found incompetent to stand trial, and he was committed to Connecticut Valley Hospital for 50 days. At the end of the initial period, the staff reported that he had been uncooperative with their attempts to evaluate his competency, and suggested that he remain for another 60 days. At the end of that second period, he was deemed "competent", and released from the hospital. In December 2003, Bagley was again found "incompetent" to stand trial, because he refused to discuss his case, or assist his attorneys in preparing his defense. In January 2004, Bagley was again found "competent", because his refusal to communicate with his attorneys was deemed to be a "deliberate choice", rather than a "function of any psychiatric impairment". Bagley would cooperate and openly talk with everyone, so long as the topic was not his defense. Thus, his refusal to participate in his defense was judged to be his choice, and that he fully understood the situation. The appellate court affirmed the trial court's decision to find Bagley legally competent to stand trial. Sentence unknown.

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AMANDA QUALLS v. FRANCHISE STRATEGIES INCORPORATED is an ongoing May 2012 Kansas federal discrimination court case. Qualls was employed until September 2010 as a Bookkeeper for F.S.I., which constructs and remodels stores for Wal-Mart, Safeway, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, LJS, DQ, etc. Qualls alleges that she was hired by Wichita, Kansas based FSI after meeting corporate President Stanley Stover at the Kingman Kansas Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, where Stanley Stover is one of the Congregation Elders. Qualls alleges that Stover made it clear that her joining the Jehovah's Witnesses was a requirement for continued employment with Franchise Strategies. However, Quall stopped attending the Kingman Kingdom Hall in March 2010. Qualls alleges that Stover thereafter began treating her abusively and calling her names, and counseled her to return to attending the Kingman Kingdom Hall. Qualls alleges that in August 2010 that Stover stated that his wife was upset with him due to "playing inappropriately" with their foster daughters. Qualls' fiance reported Stanley Stover to Child Protective Services on September 1, 2010. Qualls was fired two days later.

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MASSACHUSETTS v. HOWARD STOCKHAM was a 2004 Massachusetts criminal court decision. In August 2004, "a" Howard Stockham, 64, of 52 Ledgecrest Drive, Worcester, Massachusetts, was charged with "assault and battery on a child causing injury", and was placed on probation for one year. A Google search on "Howard Stockham" plus "Worchester" yields two separate newspaper articles published in October 1998 and November 1998, in which "a" "Howard Stockham" acted as "Congregation Spokesman" and "Media Spokesman" regarding the construction of a new Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Worchester, Massachusetts, for the Worchester Central Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses.This same "Howard Stockham", who is a Jehovah's Witness, has also worked in years past as a "District Sales Manager" (a/k/a "Circuit Overseer") for the WatchTower Bible and Tract Society.

OHIO v. REGINALD WARREN was a 2004-2008 prosecution of Reginald Warren for multiple sexual assaults on a 9 year-old girl, in 1988, when Warren was himself 15 years-old. Warren was ultimately sentenced to life in prison. During the summer of 1988, Reginald Warren spent time at, or even possibly lived at, the home of a Cleveland, Ohio Jehovah's Witness, named James Thomas. A female Jehovah's Witness, named Edith Logan, and her two young daughters, Tiffany Youngblood, age 9, and Alisa ??????, lived next door to James Thomas. Thomas, who was supposedly crippled such that he could not move freely around his home, would occasionally babysit for Edith Logan. Reginald Warren sexually assaulted Tiffany Youngblood numerous times when she was forced to stay at the Thomas home. When Edith Logan finally began to suspect something, and she asked Tiffany if there was a problem, the nine year-old told her JW Mother that Warren was "messing with her". Logan stopped allowing Thomas to babysit, but did not telephone the police, nor any other authority. It is not known whether the JW Elders at the two families Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses were contacted. The police were not contacted until years later when Tiffany told a husband, named Louis Williams, of the molestations. The court noted that these crimes may very well have been the case of Tiffany's delinquent conduct during her teenage years.

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MISSOURI v. TIMOTHY GLEN GARDNER was a 1997 Missouri criminal court case. In November 1997, Timothy G. Gardner, then age 33, was convicted of Second Degree Statutory Sodomy of a 14 year-old male victim. Tim Gardner reportedly was then a Ministerial Servant at the Richmond Missouri Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses (greater Kansas City area).

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SOUTH DAKOTA v. AARON LEE SCHNITZLER was a 1999-2008 criminal case. In 1999, a Jehovah's Witness named Aaron L. Schnitzler, then age 26, pled guilty to sexual contact with a child under the age of sixteen, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Aaron Schnitzler was eligible for parole in 2007, but was still incarcerated in 2010, because Schnitzler has refused to participate in the DOC sex offenders treatment program, because Schnitzler claims that the program violates his religious beliefs by requiring his participation in explicit group discussions of a sexual nature, as well as viewing certain images which he deems "pornographic".

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SMITH v. SMITH and MINNESOTA v. SMITH were related 1998-2002 Minnesota divorce and criminal court decisions. During 1998-9, a Minnesota Jehovah's Witness couple, named Jack W. Smith and Pamela Smith, went through a "very bitter" divorce. About one year after the couple initially separated, and while the divorce was ongoing, the couple's youngest of three daughters, then age 16, reported to school authorities that her father had sexually molested her from the time that she was 5 years-old until she was 14 years-old, shortly before her father and mother separated. The sexual abuse was also reported to the JW Mother, but the timing is unclear. It is possible that G. Smith reported the sexual abuse to school authorities only after her JW Mother's response was unsatisfactory.

G. Smith also accused Jack Smith of thereafter stalking her at the family's local Eden Prairie Kingdom Hall, which the various family members apparently continued to attend. Interestingly, Pam Smith had obtained a restraining order against Jack Smith soon after their separation, yet, apparently, neither she nor the JW Elders at the family's Kingdom Hall ever objected to Jack Smith attending the same meetings, and sitting near his estranged wife and three children.

Because G. Smith reported the abuse to school authorities, Jack W. Smith was criminally charged, and thereafter was convicted of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, in a jury trial, which occurred after the divorce, in 2000. Sentence unknown. At that jury trial, G. Smith's two older sisters, presumed to be Jehovah's Witnesses, and a Jehovah's Witness female, named Sallie Sonntag, age 40, who was described as a "close family friend", and presumed to be a member of this family's Eden Prairie Congregation, ALL TESTIFIED ON BEHALF OF JACK W. SMITH in an attempt to discredit G. Smith. Does anyone seriously doubt that they would have done so without the "blessing" of their JW Elders?

On his appeal, Jack W. Smith's conviction was affirmed by the Minnesota Court of Appeal, in 2001. In 2002, the Supreme Court of Minnesota refused to hear any further appeal. Excerpts from the Minnesota Court of Appeal opinion:

MARYLAND v. DAVID ROBERT SHUMAKER was a 2002-03 Maryland criminal court case which involved a Jehovah's Witness named David R. Shumaker, then age 39, and then of Felton, Pennsylvania. David Shumaker was reared in the Chase, Maryland Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, where his father was a longtime JW Elder, and where David Shumaker was eventually appointed as a young Ministerial Servant in the early 1980s. In 2002, three unidentified female former members of that congregation, ages 29, 30, and 31, reported to law enforcement that David Shumaker had sexually assaulted them individually numerous times between 1974 and 1984. Shumaker was arrested on one count of attempted second-degree rape, two counts each of child abuse and perverted practice, and three counts of third-degree sex offense. Outcome unknown, but Shumaker's wife is believed to have divorced him in 2003-04.

One of the women told police that when she was 12-13 years old that her family and Shumaker's family had visited a Maryland state park when Shumaker had repeatedly sexually groped her while tubing and swimming. She said that was her only incident with Shumaker, because she told on Shumaker about six months later, in 1984. When Shumaker was confronted with her accusation by the JW Elders, he claimed the groping had been "accidental", and he was made to telephone the victim and "apologize" for the "accidental" contact.

A second victim told police that Shumaker started molesting her when she was around five years-old. The abuse began with touching, and eventually progressed to oral sex when she was around 7-8 years-old -- around the same time that Shumaker married Donna Shumaker. The incidents took place in a house and a shed at a home in Baltimore County, and stopped in 1984 when the first girl made the "unbelieved" groping allegation against Shumaker. Her molestations ended because her parents kept her away from Shumaker after the first girl accused Shumaker.

The third victim told police that Shumaker had begun to molest her when she was around 5-6 years-old. Shumaker also allegedly eventually forced her to perform oral sex at the same aforementioned residence in Baltimore County, when Shumaker was about 18 years-old.

ILLINOIS v. LOUIS PAUL ROLOFSON JR. was a 1995 Illinois criminal court decision. In December 1995, a Jehovah's Witness, named Louis Paul Rolofson, Jr., 51, of Dewitt, Illinois, was convicted on aggravated criminal sexual assault charges, and sentenced to 18 years in prison. Louis P. Rolofson Jr. was among several JW adults who took a group of youngsters from the Clinton, Illinois Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses on a congregation field trip to Grant's Farm and Six Flags near St. Louis, Missouri. While Rolofson was rooming with the two sons of a divorced JW Mother, he sexually assaulted the younger ten-year-old boy. The ten-year-old boy testified that the assault occurred at the Collinsville, Illinois Holiday Inn, in August 1994. Typically, the ten-year-old was forced to give "unshakable testimony" at the trial, because numerous Jehovah's Witnesses from Louis Rolofson's congregation lined up to testify in his behalf, despite the fact that Louis P. Rolofson Jr. previously had been convicted of embezzling his bank employer in 1969. Notably, Louis Rolofson had attended the 1953 WatchTower International Convention held in Yankee Stadium, along with his JW Mother and younger brother.

ILLINOIS v. DERRICK A. JENKINS was a 1995 Illinois criminal court case. Incomplete details. In January 1995, a 28 year-old Jehovah's Witness, named Derrick A. Jenkins, was charged with molesting a 12 year-old boy in the boy's apartment. Allegedly, Derrick Jenkins had first made the acquaintance of the 12 year-old boy while Jenkins was selling WATCHTOWERs door-to-door in the boy's Chicago area apartment building. The alleged molestation supposedly occurred a couple days later when Jenkins performed what JWs refer to as a "return visit". Outcome of prosecution unknown.