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Pastor embezzles over $96,000 in tribal funds

Codie Sanchez
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 23, 2007 06:57 PM

A pastor pleaded guilty today to embezzling over $96,000 from the Gila River Indian Tribe, officials said.
Sheila Isabell 53, was charged with one count of embezzlement in federal district court in Phoenix.
Isabell of Chillicothe, Ohio, was accused of stealing $96,253 from the Gila Tribe and the Siloam Indian Baptist Church in Komatke, Arizona, officials said.
Isabell, the church pastor, applied for a grant from the tribe to build a community building, according to the district attorneys office. The tribe gave the church a check for $122,946. Timothy Isabell, 53, the pastor's husband, withdrew the money from the church's bank account for personal use, officials said.
He was also indicted for embezzlement and pleaded guilty on September 25, 2006. The sentencing for Sheila Isabell is set for April 16.

lhttp://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0223abrk-pastor0223-ON.html
Don't know where God is but the Devil is in the details
神父有妻有女侵捐款 十四年無人知
中時電子報╱劉屏/華盛頓 2007-02-04 12:20

調整字級:

這兩年,美國天主教會的日子不好過,主要是連連曝光的性侵害案。但是最新一起醜聞更是令人瞠目結舌,因為主角身為神父,而且是口碑極佳的神職人員,卻在退休後被人發現有妻有女(神父不可以結婚),還被查出至少竊占美金六十餘萬元。更離譜的是,他的鄰居竟然一直以為他是個生意人。
妻女皆不知情 鄰居當他商人
十四年來,他究竟怎麼偽裝過來的?竟然他的三個孩子都被矇在鼓裡?
這件事發生在民風純樸的維吉尼亞州露易莎縣,距離華府約一個多小時車程。主角羅德尼.羅迪斯原籍菲律賓,一九九二年以卅六歲之齡奉派到當地,牧養一個百年歷史卻搖搖欲墜的教會。他在去年退休時,教會成員已成長至將近三百六十個家庭,聚會人數超過一千人,且財務結構極佳,令人稱道。
羅迪斯謙和有禮,又富於愛心,例如發動教友賑濟南亞海嘯災民。一位會友說,教會內外,從未看過這麼好的使徒。偏偏他根本是個騙子,而且騙術之高,令人難以想像。由於他的犯罪過程太過離奇,華府的媒體頗為重視,華盛頓郵報甚至把這則訊息刊登在頭版,並附了彩色照片。
根據報導,十多年來,教友一直以為他住在教會宿舍。事實上,他住在距離教會約一小時車程的小鎮,家裡有妻子(有法院的結婚登記),有三個女兒,最小的約五、六歲。家裡有三輛車,包括一輛四輪傳動的越野車。草坪定時修剪,花木扶疏。不時在後院宴請親友,菜餚豐富。總是笑臉迎人,非常親切,家庭也和樂融融。
他總告訴別人說,他服務於進出口業,妻子是護士。鄰居壓根兒沒想到他說謊,也從未想到他會是神職人員。穿著打扮、談吐話題、家中擺設等等,無法讓人聯想到神父一職。案發之後,很多人都問,他如何在「世俗」與「神職」之間迅速轉換?到底哪個是真的羅迪斯?
侵吞教友捐款 進了秘密帳戶
他從一九八六年開始擔任神職人員,去年五月,因為中風、車禍,他以健康理由退休。六月間,有位會友向教會索取奉獻收據,教會遍查無著。到了十月間,這位會友發現這張一千美元的支票進了羅迪斯的秘密帳戶,於是教會委請警方全面追查,真相才曝光。警方說,到現在為止,已有美金六十萬至七十萬元進了此一秘密帳戶。真正數字還待追查。
羅迪斯在元月八日被捕,隨即以美金一萬元交保。他在十七日以電子郵件向會眾致歉,並表示接受一切後果,同時「請大家為我祈禱」。
有一則報導稱,七十七歲的退役空軍史考金說,當初海嘯賑災,羅迪斯極其懇切,感動之餘,史考金從太太的皮包拿出支票簿,奉獻了美金五百元。今天才知道,這筆錢沒有到災民手裡,而是進了羅迪斯的秘密帳戶。十四年來,這種情形不知發生了多少,可是就沒有一件失風。
鄰居驚嘆演技 教會加強稽查
這幾天適逢奧斯卡入圍名單揭曉,鄰居說,他的演技之佳,如果從影,入圍不成問題。被愚弄了這麼多年,信徒感受可想而知。不過也有人為他辯護,例如有人說,他這麼疼愛兒童,不免想要有自己的子女,所以即使背著梵蒂岡結婚,也不應苛責。
然而,侵占奉獻一事又該如何解釋?羅迪斯的神職身分是否遭到撤銷,要看教廷如何決定。不過對天主教界而言,最重要的是如何修補、重建信徒的信心。羅迪斯原先牧養的教會,講壇信息著重於「信心的脆弱」,勉勵會眾定睛於神;對其他教會而言,則是加強稽查,避免重演不幸。
花開花落花無缺!

對付教徒三式: 不主動、 不抗拒、 不負責!

PASTOR CHARGED WITH LEWD CONDUCT

Reporter: Bryan Latham
Friday Feb 23, 2007

Shocking news out of Chubbuck, as a pillar of the community is arrested. Bryan Latham reports.
Chubbuck Police arrested Pastor Josh Robinson of Gate City Christian Church. The 28-year-old Robinson is charged with lewd conduct with a minor. Robinson served as a youth minister for the church.
Officers say the arrest came after the parents of a 17-year-old female, a member of his youth organization, approached law enforcement with allegations of inappropriate contact. Police say the alleged conduct occurred over a two-year period.
Det. Cpl. Mike Ballard, Chubbuck Police: "Right now, he has been charged with one charge of lewd conduct with a minor, and that may change in the course of the investigation - whether or not we believe there is enough evidence to support more charges. But in reference to other victims, we have one victim we are dealing with. We've got to make sure there aren't any more."
We left a message at the church, but have not heard back.
http://www.kpvi.com/index.cfm?page=nbcstories.cfm&ID=3279

[ 本帖最後由 沙文 於 2007-2-24 19:05 編輯 ]
Don't know where God is but the Devil is in the details

Former Herndon pastor is one of 'America's Most Wanted'

Post#4 跟進報道

By: Gregg MacDonald

02/20/2007
        
A former Herndon pastor convicted of sodomy and statutory rape has made the list of the "America's Most Wanted" television show.
Jack E. Clark, former assistant pastor of a Pentecostal Church that once owned property at the intersection of Park and Monroe streets in Herndon, was listed as a "Fugitive From Justice" on the Feb. 17 airing of the TV program, according to the show's Web site.
On April 16, 1996, Herndon Police charged Clark with forcible sodomy and statutory rape of a 12-year-old girl whom he knew from his congregation.
Lt. Jerry Keys of the Herndon Police Department remembers the case, and Clark himself, well. Keys said that Clark grew up in Herndon and that Keys came in contact with him occasionally.
"He seemed very gung-ho, very religious," Keys said. Keys was working as part of the Criminal Investigative Section when Clark was originally arrested.
Sgt. Dennis Royal of the Herndon Police headed that investigation. Royal said the victim originally contacted an aunt who contacted police.
"It was an ongoing investigation," Royal said. "It wasn't a one-time event."
Clark was later convicted on both charges. But, according to court records, Clark's attorney filed for an appeal in June 1997 based on the fact that Clark had been formally denied a motion calling for an independent medical examination of the victim.
In a 1999 opinion by the Court of Appeals of Virginia, the convictions were reversed and Clark was granted a rehearing.
According to court records, during the rehearing, "the judgment of the trial court was affirmed without opinion by an evenly divided court, and the opinion previously rendered by the panel was withdrawn."
The case eventually made its way to the Virginia Supreme Court, where, in 2001, it was ruled that Clark's original convictions would stand.
But, by that time, Clark's whereabouts were unknown. His father, also a pastor, owned the church property and sold it to post his son's bond of $125,000, according to "America's Most Wanted."
"Clark's conviction pretty much killed that congregation," Royal said.
A bench warrant was issued for Clark, who was believed to have fled Virginia. He was not seen again for nearly two years when, in 2003, according to "America's Most Wanted," Clark was spotted "sleeping in a Chevy Astro van in Los Angeles, Calif."
While authorities were attempting to identify him, Clark escaped and led police on a high-speed chase that resulted in his escape. Royal said there have been sporadic reports that Clark is now back in Virginia.
Clark is described as a white male with blue eyes and brown hair, 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing about 240 pounds.
John Walsh, founder and host of "America's Most Wanted," spoke to children at McNair Elementary School in Herndon last spring to warn them of the dangers of predators like Clark.

link

[ 本帖最後由 沙文 於 2007-2-24 10:11 編輯 ]
Don't know where God is but the Devil is in the details
Pastor's online porn arrest 'a total shock'
Friends stand by Camden minister who Georgia police say thought he was sending photos, notes to 14-year-old girl
By MARJORIE RIDDLE
[email protected]


Neighbors and friends of Camden pastor Kevin Ogle, who is charged with sending pornographic messages and pictures via the Internet to a police officer posing as a teenage girl, said they were shocked by the arrest of a “very loving, kind, caring individual.”
“You could’ve taken a gun and shot me in the heart, and it would’ve had the same effect,” said Mike Clifton, chairman of the deacon committee at Northgate Colonial Baptist Church.
“He is just like a brother. He loves his church, and he loves his family.”
The 42-year-old pastor waived his rights Wednesday to stay in Kershaw County and will be transferred to Walton County, Ga. Sheriff Steve McCaskill said Ogle will be sent either today or Friday to Loganville, Ga., where he will have a bail hearing.
Ogle was arrested Tuesday and charged with 11 counts of sexual exploitation of children. Authorities say he chatted with and transmitted pornographic depictions of himself online to a person he thought was a 14-year-old girl.
According to authorities, Ogle was actually communicating with an undercover officer from the Loganville Police Department’s On-Line Predator Unit, which has been investigating Ogle for three months.
Ogle is being held at the county’s detention center.
The pastor grew up in Lugoff, graduated from Lugoff-Elgin High School and attended Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute in Hendersonville, N.C., Clifton said.
Ogle, who is married with two sons, adores his wife, Clifton said.
And he is a good father, said neighbor Pam Barker, tears in her eyes.
“He’s very involved with his children — he’s always playing football outside with his boys,” she said. “He’s a great neighbor and is always willing to help.”
Barker said if Ogle is found guilty, she will not condone his actions, but will forgive him.
“He loves his family,” she said. “He and his family are hurting bad, and we need to support them.”
After an emergency meeting Tuesday night, Ogle’s church resolved to unify its members and not let the situation destroy the 106-member congregation, Clifton said.
“This congregation has an opportunity to become a stronger congregation and come together and really seek God’s help for healing if they can forgive the pastor if he is guilty,” said Otis Scott Jr., pastor at Camden First United Methodist Church. “This can split the congregation.”
Ogle’s situation is a personal, human tragedy, said Bill Drees, director of missions for the Kershaw Baptist Association.
Drees had lunch with Ogle last week and visited him at the detention center Wednesday.
“This is why this is such a total shock to everyone — he grew up around this community, and it’s something no one expected,” Drees said.
“Northgate is a good church, and those are good folks in that church.
“We’re a small town, and this is just not the norm.”
Reach Riddle at (803) 771-8435.
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/16752120.htm

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Las Vegas Priest Arrested On Attempted Murder Charges


A Roman Catholic priest whose parish is in Las Vegas, was arrested today in Arizona on charges of attempted murder. The Rev. George Chaanine, 52, is accused of beating, groping and choking a female employee in the parish office of Our Lady of Las Vegas church.
The alleged assault occurred on January 26, 2007, and the priest has been on the run since then. A judge issued a warrant for his arrest on attempted murder charges on Tuesday.
Father Chaanine was arrested by FBI agents in Apache Junction, located about 30 miles east of Phoenix, Phoenix FBI spokeswoman Deb McCarley said.
The woman at the center of the latest crises for the Catholic church, claims that Father Chaanine broke a full bottle of wine over her head while she was sitting at her desk, grabbed her by the hair and dragged her down a hallway toward his office.
She lost consciousness during a struggle and woke up only to find that Rev. Chaanine was groping her. Father Chaanine then grabbed her throat. After that, theattack suddenly stopped. The Rev. muttered that he was going to kill himself and left the church after saying he was going to call police.
Bishop Joseph Pepe Roman Catholic Diocese of Las Vegas said in a statement: "We are relieved that Father Chaanine has been found and now justice can be served through the legal process. We have worked closely with the authorities and are hopeful that the information we provided proved helpful."
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/105408/Las_Vegas_Priest_Arrested_On_Attempted_Murder_Charges

Fort Myers youth pastor arrested on sex charges


A Fort Myers Youth Pastor was arrested Monday and charged with sexual battery on a child.
Elantonio T.O. Gomez, 50, of 4790 South Cleveland Avenue, No. 1303, is accused of molesting and raping two boys who were under 15 at the time of the assault, according to sheriff's reports.
One of the boys, who was under 15 years old, reported the abuse occurred a few times a week over the course of 11 months. The second boy, who was under 13 at the time, reported the abuse lasted over the course of a few years.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/feb/13/cape_coral_youth_pastor_arrested_sexual_battery/?latest

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Associate Pastor Has A Secret



To the faithful of the Herndon, Va. Pentecostal Church, Jack Clark was a charismatic associate pastor. His father had opened the church, and Clark often led services and offered guidance and support to the tight-knit congregation. But cops say Clark was not the kind of person who should be giving others guidance.
Police say Clark married a woman from the church and the two of them moved to a house nearby. Soon after, cops believe the couple befriended a 12-year-old girl from the congregation -- and often invited her over to their home to do various chores in exchange for money.
On the surface, it appeared Clark was simply trying to help out a young girl by giving her the opportunity to earn some extra money. But according to police, his true intentions were not so pure.
Investigators say Jack began earning the girl's trust by allowing her to watch movies -- something strictly forbidden by the church -- after his wife went to sleep. Gradually, cops believe Clark began touching the young girl inappropriately, and his actions eventually escalated.
His father sold the church he owned and used the proceeds to bond his son out on a $125,000 cash bond.

Clark Runs From Rape Charges
Cops say on December 8, 1995, the girl was at Clark's house for one of her regular visits when he took things one step further and sexually assaulted the girl. According to police, Clark had successfully caught his victim in a classic trap -- she wanted the abuse to stop but was frightened to tell anyone what was happening.
Cops say he continued pushing the limits of his abuse and sodomized the girl in April 1996. Although she was scared, the girl could not ignore what was happening any longer and told her friend about the incident. Realizing what Clark did was wrong, the friend told an adult -- and they called the police.
On April 16, 1996, Herndon police charged Clark with sodomy by force and statutory rape. Clark was convicted on both charges, and sentenced to 16 years in jail. But in June 1997, Clark appealed the convictions -- and that's when things started to get ugly.
The same day Clark appealed, his father sold the church he owned and used the proceeds to bond his son out on a $125,000 cash bond.
In Sept. 2001, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled they would not re-hear the case and the original sentence would stand. But Clark was nowhere to be found.  Cops say he fled after his father bailed him out. The court issued a bench warrant for Jack Jr.'s arrest.

Clark Resurfaces, Cops Close Behind
Police were frustrated by Clark's disappearance, and seemed to have few leads to follow -- until March 2003, when they were contacted by authorities from Los Angeles, Calif.
LAPD told Fairfax County police that they'd approached a homeless man sleeping in a Chevy Astro van. The van had a handmade sign where the license plate should have been that said the original plate had been stolen. Since they had no reason to hold him, the cops let him go. But as he drove off, police got a hit on the ID the homeless man had provided -- it was Jack Clark.
What followed was a high speed chase that lasted over two hours. Cops say they tore through neighborhoods, yards, and fences until Clark crashed into a brick building in Santa Monica, Calif. Unfortunately, Clark was able to escape yet again -- and he hasn't been seen since.

http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=39777

[ 本帖最後由 沙文 於 2007-2-17 22:46 編輯 ]

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Mill Creek church youth leader charged with molesting girl, 13

Herald staff
A youth group coordinator for a Mill Creek church was charged Tuesday with having repeated sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl on church grounds.
A judge Tuesday signed a $100,000 arrest warrant for Joshua Tanner Beals, 22. He's charged with two counts of second-degree child molestation in Snohomish County Superior Court.
Deputy prosecutor Mark Roe said in court papers that he sought the arrest warrant because "it appears that a number of adults connected with either the church or the defendant do indeed blame" the girl for the sexual activity.
He also said church authorities have been "evasive" with Snohomish County sheriff's detectives.
Roe declined to identify the church.
The girl told authorities the two had sexual intercourse at least three times, all at Beals' residence on the church property.
"They even memorialized some of the sexual contact by taking pictures" of the couple kissing, Roe said. He wrote that Beals told the girl not to disclose the photos to anyone "because he could get in trouble."
The girl told investigators that she told the pastor what was happening and the pastor said it would be a "horrible mess" if she told anyone else, charging papers said.
The pastor also said that the girl could keep the illicit contact quiet and Beals could move away quietly, documents said.
At one point, the defendant's mother heard about the situation and asked the girl to destroy the photos, Roe wrote.
The case remains under investigation, Roe said.
http://www.heraldnet.com/stories ... 6molestation001.cfm
Pastor's sex case continued
Prosecutors say Ronald Hernandez Tovar had sex with 16-year-old girl.
By DENISSE SALAZAR AND CINDY CARCAMO
The Orange County Register

STANTON– A pastor of a Stanton church accused of having sex with a 16-year-old female parishioner appeared in court today during his arraignment, which was continued until Feb. 23.
Ronald Hernandez Tovar, 56, of Placentia was charged on suspicion of three counts of having unlawful sexual intercourse and one count of oral copulation of a minor, prosecutors said.
Bail was set at $100,000. If convicted, Tovar faces up to five years in state prison.
Tovar, who is married, reportedly had sex with the teen from Aug. 1 to Dec. 31, prosecutors said.
Tovar, a pastor at the Shadow of the Almighty Church in Stanton, is accused of having unlawful sex with the girl on multiple occasions and locations, including his church office in Anaheim Hills, prosecutors said.
Anyone with additional information can call Supervising District Attorney Investigator Craig Kelsey at 714-347-8794.
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregi ... article_1575048.php
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