6 May 2011

More charges filed against rapping Baptist youth pastor in jail for raping girl in his flock



SNAP Press Release - May 6, 2011

Charges filed against "pastor" - clergy sex abuse victims respond

For immediate release, Friday, May 6

Statement by Barbara Dorris, SNAP Outreach Director 314-862-7688 SNAPdorris@gmail.com



We are grateful that prosecutors have filed charges against Aaron Witcher (aka Pastor Soulja) who is already in prison for sex with an underage girl. [see article below]

While Wichter is serving five years in prison, we fear when he is released that children will be in danger. Because of this victim's courage, Wichter will face more charges and the possibility of more years in prison. When predators are behind bars, kids are safer.

We urge anyone who has been victimized to come forward and report to law enforcement, not the church. Most child predators do not only have one or two victims, and Wichter - or any predator - can be charged and prosecuted for other child sex crimes. No victim deserves to suffer in shame and silence.

(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world's oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 10,000 members. Despite the word "priest" in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)


Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, SNAPclohessy@aol.com), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747,SNAPblaine@gmail.com), Peter Isely (414-429-7259, peterisely@yahoo.com), Barbara Dorris (314-862-7688 home, 314-503-0003 cell, SNAPdorris@gmail.com)

******************************************************************************
Salt Lake Tribune  -  Utah   March 30, 2011

Youth pastor sentenced for two counts of rape

BY STEPHEN HUNT  |  The Salt Lake Tribune



Ogden • A former Weber County youth pastor was sentenced to prison for five years to life on Wednesday for having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl in his flock.

Aaron Witcher — known locally as the rapping "Pastor Soulja" — had pleaded guilty in 2nd District Court to two counts of first-degree felony rape.

Judge Ernie Jones said prison was appropriate because Witcher, 38, had sexual intercourse with the girl more than 20 times as well as other instances of sexual activity.

"This was not a mistake, not a one-time thing," said the judge, who nevertheless opted to run the two terms concurrently.

The victim’s father had asked for consecutive terms to give his daughter as much time as possible to "grow up" before the defendant was released from prison.

Through a letter read in court by a victims’ advocate, the father said Witcher had "mocked and betrayed God" and that God’s punishment of him would be worse than anything handed down by the court.

Defense attorney Gregory Smith told the judge that Witcher’s conduct was "unconscionable and a sin. He absolutely knows that."

Smith added that Witcher was "incredibly selfish and stupid … he feels unclean."

Smith argued that due to Witcher’s otherwise spotless criminal record, concurrent prison terms should be imposed.

Deputy Weber County Attorney Dean Saunders said that, as part of a plea deal in which six other rape counts were dismissed, prosecutors didn’t ask for consecutive terms.

The courtroom held some two dozen people who support Witcher, as well as family and friends of the victim.

According to police, Witcher began a sexual relationship with the girl during the summer of 2010. The investigation began in August, after a Roy police officer found the two in a parked car and became suspicious. Police said that under questioning, the pair eventually acknowledged their relationship was sexual.

No other charges have been filed, despite investigators having said they were looking into other possible relationships between Witcher and underage girls. Detectives said they were specifically checking Witcher’s past pastoral assignment at New Pilgrim Baptist Church in southern Salt Lake County and, most recently, the The Genesis Project church in Ogden.


This article was found at:



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Posted by Perry Bulwer at 11:06
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6 comments:

  1. Perry Bulwer24 March 2015 at 11:43

    Preaching brothers sentenced for child pornography

    A former youth minister and his brother who volunteered at the same church are both in federal prison after confessing to sexting of teenagers in the youth group.

    By Bob Allen, Baptist News Global March 23, 2015

    The younger of two brothers convicted of sexually exploiting girls in the youth group of a Texas Baptist church has been sentenced to 15 years in prison.

    Jordan “Jordy” Earls, 26, received a sentence of 180 months in prison, the statutory minimum, in exchange for pleading guilty to a single count of producing child pornography. Prosecutors said they were prepared to add at least 10 counts if Earls rejected the plea bargain and the case had gone to trial.

    Previously Earls’ older brother, Joshua Earls, 31, was sentenced to 12 years in prison after also pleading guilty to child pornography. Authorities say together the brothers, sons of a Baptist minister, used Joshua Earls’ position as youth minister at Arapaho Road Baptist Church in Garland, Texas, to entice minor girls to take pornographic pictures of themselves and share them with the brothers over the Internet.

    One victim filed a civil lawsuit in February, alleging that leaders of the congregation either knew or should have known that the men posed a danger to the church’s youth.

    At his sentencing hearing Feb. 18, Jordy Earls said he is sorry for his crimes and hopes the people he harmed would forgive him.

    He also said he is sorry for disappointing his family. “They did not raise me in this manner, and I should have known better, and I chose to make poor decisions, and I am sorry to them.”

    “Most importantly, I am sorry to God,” Earls said. “I sinned against him, and I should have known better. I was raised in a way that was supposed to seek after him, and I did not.”

    According to the civil lawsuit, Joshua Earls left a Baptist church in South Carolina where his father was lead pastor to work with youth at Arapaho Road sometime in 2008. After an internship the church hired him as youth pastor. The following year Jordy joined his brother in Texas, where they shared an apartment.

    While not a paid member of the staff, the lawsuit alleged, Jordy Earls helped his brother with music and volunteered with the youth group, gradually earning more responsibilities including leader of a youth band.

    The brothers left the church abruptly in 2013, telling their young people they had been “called” to other assignments in South Carolina. In fact the family of one of the girls from the youth group had reported to police that Josh Earls molested their daughter at a pool party in 2012. Later police said they were also investigating Jordy Earls.

    Eventually both were arrested and extradited back to Texas, where they pleaded guilty to federal charges of making child pornography.

    Arapaho Road Baptist Church said in a statement about being named in a lawsuit:

    “From the moment the church learned of these allegations, ARBC has been transparent and open about the situation with our staff, congregation, students, investigators and the community. This is the only way healing can truly happen. We ask the community to join us in prayer for all those involved.”

    http://baptistnews.com/culture/social-issues/item/29927-preaching-brothers-sentenced-for-child-pornography

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  2. Perry Bulwer22 September 2015 at 15:21

    More people come forward with stories of sex abuse by former church youth leader

    BY SHELBY BROWN, CBS 6 Virginia SEPTEMBER 21, 2015

    CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- A former church youth group leader was charged with new crimes after two more people came forward with claims he inappropriately touched them. Jeffrey D. Clark, 45, was first arrested September 8 and charged with two counts of aggravated sexual battery against a child. He met that child through his role at Immanuel Baptist Church in Colonial Heights, police said.
    Since that arrest, two more people have contacted investigators with similar stories, police said. The incidents occurred during the past two years and also involved children Clark met through church, investigators added.

    The first to come forward was a juvenile, the second was a juvenile at the time of the alleged incident but is now an adult, police said. As a result, Clark was recently charged with two counts of indecent liberties with a child while in a custodial role and simple sexual battery.

    Additional charges were possible, police said.

    Following his initial arrest, friend David Hay said Clark was being condemned in the court of public opinion when he had done nothing wrong. He said as a youth leader, Clark was never alone with a child and that that was one of his strict rules. Hay also said the only thing Clark was guilty of, was being a good guy.

    Clark remains incarcerated at Riverside Regional Jail without bond.

    Recently one of Clark’s friends told CBS 6 News that the 45-year-old had done nothing wrong and was being condemned in the court of public opinion.

    Former church member Debbie McCarter says similar allegations against Clark split Immanuel Baptist Church six years ago. She says there were no charges at the time.

    Now with Clark’s September arrest and these latest charges, McCarter says she is heartbroken and saddened for his alleged victims. “It doesn’t surprise me, but it really saddens me. I’m not surprised because of other things that have arisen in the past. It hurts my heart that this could have been avoided” McCarter said.

    We went to Clark’s Chester home where police believe the alleged crimes took place. A woman who answered the door said that she was not related to Clark and that he also ran a business out of the home. She said she had no idea about the new charges and declined to comment beyond that.

    Police say if anyone out there has more information about this case, particularly children, they want families to know it’s safe to come forward.

    “It’s difficult for children to come forward, so we do encourage them to come forward if they think they are a victim. We can help with resources, and even provide them with resources for counseling” Sgt. Brad Conner of the Chesterfield Police Department explained.

    Clark remains in the Riverside Regional jail. Chesterfield police say more charges are possible.

    http://wtvr.com/2015/09/21/jeffrey-clark-more-charges/

    ReplyDelete
  3. Perry Bulwer3 April 2024 at 15:26

    Two Midland church leaders arrested, charged with child sex crimes

    A Midland church pastor is headed to trial after he was arrested and charged with child sex crimes in November 2023.

    by Blake Keller March 19, 2024

    MIDLAND, Mich. (WNEM) - A Midland church pastor is headed to trial after he was arrested and charged with child sex crimes in November 2023.

    James Randolph is a minister with Mark Barclay Ministries and works at Living Word Church.

    A longtime church member, who left the church and religion, spoke to WNEM-TV5 under the condition of anonymity. They said they have a fear of retaliation by the ministry.

    “He was my youth pastor for times that I was there, so, yes there were interactions,” the person said.

    The former church member said they would like to forget the interactions with Mark Barclay Ministries they had seen and heard.

    “The leaving point, I’ve just seen the things that weren’t adding up,” they said. “They would use their pulpit as a platform to silence people and intimidate them. They’d use scripture like Psalms 105:15: ‘Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.’”

    On Nov. 28, 2023, 57-year-old Rev. James Randolph was arrested and charged with several felonies. TV5 learned from their interview with the former church member, that Randolph is the son-in-law of the ministry’s head, Mark Barclay.

    The former church member said the ministry has been talking about the allegations in their weekly sermons. They provided WNEM-TV5 video of one sermon from 2023 that they believe is directed at alleged victims.

    “I was reading a verse this morning,” Rev. Mark Barclay said in the video. “I prayed for the people who are attacking our family with so many weird, wild, false, down and dirty accusations and I prayed for them. I woke up and the Lord said they have cursed themselves. Some will probably die, I don’t know, I hope not, that’s why I pray.”

    “My biggest concern is just for the victims and the fear that they’re probably going through again,” the former church member said.

    In the 75th District Court in Midland County, during a preliminary examination hearing, WNEM-TV5 learned the alleged victim, who was in sixth grade at the time, was often at Randolph’s home so much so that she started living with them in 2012.

    That’s when the alleged victim said the incidents with Randolph would start. In most cases, she said she would wake up to him touching her.

    “I just remember he would just be in there touching me,” the alleged victim said in court. “He would just be touching my arms, touching my breast. There was another time I’d woken up and his hands, they were touching my thighs and moved up to touch my private area,” the alleged victim added. “When I would wake up, he would say he’s in there just checking on me or he heard a noise.”

    According to the examination, the alleged victim said she moved with Randolph to another Midland County home when she was 15-years-old. She said incidents continued until 2018 when she moved out.

    The alleged victim said in court she didn’t tell anyone because she didn’t think anyone would believe her.

    “[For] a lot of different reasons. James was a minister. He was my youth pastor. I grew up with him in a children’s church and my parents, you know, they trusted them,” the alleged victim said.

    Randolph’s case was sent to the 42nd Circuit Court in Midland County on Feb. 5, 2024, where he was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.

    continued below

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  4. Perry Bulwer3 April 2024 at 15:28

    TV5 reached out to Mark Barclay, but got his son Josh Barclay, who sent a statement to TV5 on behalf of his dad and Mark Barclay Ministries. He said the church hasn’t received any complaints about Randolph.

    “We are aware of the arrest of James Randolph, one of our ministers on staff, and the allegations against him. Importlantly, the allegations do not involve the church, and the alleged acts did not take place in the church. James has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of the criminal justice process. Living Word International Church takes seriously our responsibility to ensure the safety of our congregation, and we are committed to taking any necessary steps to protect the congregation and the church. We are praying for everyone affected.”

    “I don’t know if anything really would’ve taken place there, but I can’t deny anything and I can’t confirm anything,” the former church member said.

    Randolph is being represented by attorney Nicole Blank Becker. Becker declined an on-camera interview but sent WNEM-TV5 this statement:

    “As the attorney representing Mr. Randolph, who is facing charges of criminal sexual conduct, I must emphasize that he maintains his innocence. These allegations are deeply troubling and have caused significant distress for both my client and his family.

    It is important to remember that in our legal system, individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty. My client vehemently denies the accusations made against him and looks forward to presenting a robust defense to prove his innocence.

    We ask for respect for the legal process and urge everyone to refrain from making premature judgments or assumptions. It is crucial that we allow the facts to be thoroughly examined and evaluated in a fair and impartial manner.

    My client has dedicated his life to serving as a minister, providing guidance, support, and care within our community. We believe in his integrity and trust that justice will prevail as we navigate through this challenging situation.

    We are fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities throughout this process while working diligently to protect my client’s rights. As the case progresses, we remain committed to ensuring a just outcome based on truth and evidence.

    At this time, out of respect for all parties involved, I kindly request privacy for my client and his family as they navigate through these difficult circumstances.”

    Attorney Nicole Blank Becker

    However, TV5 learned Randolph has prior convictions from Jackson County. A criminal record history search through Michigan State Police revealed Randolph spent about 10 years total in prison.

    Michigan State Police documents, with confirmation from the Michigan Department of Corrections, showed Randolph went to prison from December 1983 until August 1984 after he was convicted of assault less than murder.

    continued below

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  5. Perry Bulwer3 April 2024 at 15:29

    Through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request from Jackson County, a general incident report from Jackson City Police revealed more about the assault.

    The incident report stated officers were dispatched to a “fight involving chains and clubs” on July 26, 1983.

    The report said, “officers arrived on the scene and found a white male laying on the sidewalk… appeared to be in great pain. There was also blood around his face and arms.”

    Officers found a second white male lying on the floor inside another house with a gash in the back of his head and blood all over his shoulders and arms, according to the report.

    A supplementary report from the Jackson Police Department revealed a party was taking place at a home when one of the white males entered, complained about the noise and threatened to beat Randolph up, who was at the party with others.

    Witness interviews claim several white males from the party forced their way into Richard Ives home, pulled him outside, and beat him. The witness interview added that Ives’ uncle, Roy Mannon, came out to defend his nephew. Mannon would be struck with several objects by the group of men, according to the police report.

    An interview with Mannon revealed the group of men had shovels, chains, and what turned out to be a three-foot by one-and-a-quarter-inch pipe. Witnesses in police interviews then pointed to Randolph as the one who hit the uncle and nephew duo with the pipe.

    A doctor’s report at the hospital showed Ives had a four-inch abrasion in the back of his head with other bodily injuries. Mannon reported eye swelling, a broken left hand, and a fractured left knee.

    In another witness interview, James O’Neill told police a person came to the party to complain about the noise, then left. Several moments later, they heard what they thought was a gunshot. That’s when the witness said Randolph left the house and went across the street and saw Randolph get hit in the head with nunchucks. The subject told police Randolph then grabbed the pipe and started hitting people from the other house in “an attempt to get the subject that had hit him first.”

    Randolph agreed to be interviewed by police and was then booked and lodged for assault with intent to do great bodily harm. He was convicted and sentenced on the charge.

    He was paroled until he went back to prison in December 1984 until June 1993 after being convicted of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. A FOIA request for more information from Jackson’s City Attorney Matthew H. Hagerty was denied because the “victim in that case was a minor at the time of the assault… any information that would identify a juvenile victim of CSC is exempt from disclosure to protect his or her identity.”

    MDOC said Randolph was discharged from parole from that case in 1995. TV5 reached out to Becker about these convictions but she didn’t reply.

    Randolph isn’t the first person associated with the ministry to be arrested and charged with criminal sex crimes.

    continued below

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  6. Perry Bulwer3 April 2024 at 15:32

    On July 13, 2023, church elder and volunteer, 44-year-old Brandon Saylor, was charged with nine felony sex crimes:

    ---four counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13
    ---two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child known by blood or same household
    ---three counts of accosting a child for immoral purposes

    “He worked in the nursery. At one point, him and his wife were head of the nursery wing,” the longtime church member said about Saylor.

    On Jan. 4, 2024, in a plea agreement, Saylor pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a child under 13. Six other charges were dropped. Midland County Sheriff Myron Greene confirmed to TV5 that Saylor knew his victims.

    Josh Barclay told TV5 Saylor initially passed a background check. Saylor was removed from all church positions. Barclay said Saylor last worked with kids at the church, seldomly, in 2016.

    James is an employee of Mark Barclay Ministries and is the director of preacher and partner relations, he also is also a minister at Living Word Church and his primary position was working with adults not working with kids. James has been placed on administrative leave pending the results of the criminal justice process. James allegations do not involve the church, and the alleged acts did not take place in the church.

    Brandon Saylor was not, nor ever an employee or an ordained minister of Mark Barclay Ministries or Living Word Church, He was however an elder for many years at the church, he worked with adults and has passed state background checks when he did work with kids. He has not been working in the area of kids/youth for more than a decade. After his allegations he was instantly removed from all positions and we followed every protocol and request from the judicial system. Brandon’s allegations do not involve the church, and the alleged acts did not take place in the church.

    The Church, the leaders and department heads up until these recent allegations have not received any tips, complaints or had any conversations related to any staff, leader or volunteers at Living Word Church.

    Josh Barclay, Mark Barclay Ministries

    “Yes, they both, though, were in a position of leadership involving children,” the former church member said, adding they hope the kids are protected. “Any kids that haven’t come forward about being a victim come forward and that it just stops. Just all the pedophilia stops there.”

    Saylor will be sentenced April 4. Each felony count is punishable by up to 15 years. He will have to register as a sex offender with lifetime electronic monitoring.

    If Randolph is convicted on current charges, each first-degree count can be punishable to 25 years to life while the second-degree charges carry a punishment of up to 15 years. He will also have to register as a sex offender along with lifetime electronic monitoring.

    Randolph is back in court for a pre-trial conference on March 26 in Midland County Circuit Court.

    https://www.wnem.com/2024/03/19/two-midland-church-leaders-arrested-charged-with-child-sex-crimes/

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