1034: International Churches of Christ & International Christian Church
Organizational Cover-Up
The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles, California · Tuesday, February 28, 2023
Tag: Pastor
1027: Milton Martin III
Child Indecency, Child Rape
Milton Martin III was the pastor of the First Pentacostal Church in Chalmette, LA. In March, 2023, he was arrested for raping a child “on multiple occasions” between 2010 and 2013. The victim was between the ages of fourteen and seventeen. He was charged with sexual battery and carnal knowledge of a juvenile.
In April, 2023, he was arrested again after another victim came forward alleging they were raped by Martin in 1991. He was charged with indecent behavior with a juvenile.
1024: Dennis W. Laferty
Child Indecency, Child Molestation, Child Rape, Sexual Battery
Dennis Wayne Laferty has been a United Methodist pastor at six churches in Ohio since 2014. That may seem like a lot but five were part-time so it is not an indication of problem pastors being relocated. In March 2023, he was indicted sexually abusing one or more victims. The indictment is for five counts of sexual battery (felony), one count of gross sexual imposition with a victim under 13 (felony) , and one count of sexual imposition with a victim 13 or older but under 16 (misdemeanor). This is alleged to have happened between Nov. 30, 2019, and Jan. 30, 2023.
1019: Jeffrey Bedwell
Child Molestation, Child Rape, Grooming
Jeffrey Bedwell was a pastor at Chets Creek Church in Jacksonville, Florida. He was arrested in 2021, accused of grooming and sexually assaulting a child since she was twelve until she was seventeen. He got to know her when she was twelve and began seriously grooming her when she was thirteen. When she was fourteen, he began raping her. He raped her until she was seventeen.
1018: Frank Pavone
Grooming, Sexual Battery, Sexual Harassment, Sexual Misconduct
Frank Pavone founded Priests for Life, an anti-abortion group, and chaired Catholics for Trump. The Vatican laicized or defrocked him without appeal for blasphemous communications on social media and disobedience of his bishop. He placed an aborted fetus on the altar and made a video. He is also an election denier.
1015: Matthew Reiber
Child Molestation
Matthew Reiber was the pastor of the far-right New Life Church in Chickasa, Oklahoma. He was arrested in February 2023 and charged with three counts of lewd acts on a child. The child is seven years old. He is also alleged to have made the child touch him.
1014: Stephen Arthur Morris
Child Molestation, Child Rape, Child Sexual Abuse Material, Grooming, Solicitation of a Minor
Stephen Arthur Morris was the pastor of Oliver’s Grove Baptist Church, a Southern Baptist conservative church. In July 2019, he was arrested and charged with raping a thirteen-year-old girl who attended his church. She reported this when she was eighteen. In October 2019, two additional women came forward to report his attempts to abuse them when they were minors. In 2020, they also charged him with possessing child sexual abuse materials after searching his electronics.
1013: Daniel W. Merrick
Child Sexual Abuse Material
Daniel W. Merrick is a former Messianic Christian pastor, a Christian musician, and author of several books. Most are Messianic Christianity apologia while others are his family genealogy. He was arrested and charged with over 880 felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material.
1012: Clark Travis
Child Molestation, Sexual Abuse
Clark Travis was a pastoral leader at two churches, the Centerville Apostolic Church and Apostolic Life United Pentecostal Church in Buffalo, TX. In February, 2023, he was arrested along with his older brother. According to Leon County Sheriff’s office, they abused their pastoral position to sexual abuse at least five children. Clark was charged with five counts of Sexual Assault of a child and one count of Sexual Abuse of a Child under 14.
1011: Matthew T. Travis
Child Molestation, Sexual Abuse
Matthew T. Travis has been accused of using his position as pastor of Apostolic Life United Pentecostal Church in Buffalo, TX, to exploit children. He has been arrested, along with his brother, for child sexual abuse. They are alleged to have abused at least five children. Matthew was indicted with three counts of sexual abuse of a child.