(The hotline is 202-864-5578 or SBChotline@guidepostsolutions.com). The 205-page list was compiled by a former employee of the SBCs Executive Committee and was made public for the first time. Kevin DeRosa, a youth minister who worked at Western Hills Baptist Church in Kennesaw, was sentenced in 1995 to 20 years on sex abuse charges. He only had to serve 30 days in jail and the remaining 11 months of the sentence will be spent on probation. It has nearly 14 million members and is the largest Protestant denomination. He was arrested and charged with four counts of electronic transfer of obscene material to a minor. Pleaded guilty to aggravated child molestation and two counts of child molestation. Create a password that only you will remember. Even if their children are adults, they need to talk to their kids.. Thomas McGowan, who was convicted in 1989 of molesting three former congregation members, two of them underage, while he was pastor of New Grace Baptist Church in Powder Springs. of house arrest and 2 yrs. The list of Cobb County offenders is rounded out by three men who were convicted of sex crimes while working at Eastside Baptist Church in east Cobb. It has not been proofed. It has been under fire - internally and externally - for the way it has mishandled allegations of sexual abuse and mistreated victims. In 2009, he was caught. All rights reserved. litton elects plagiarism humphrey Sentenced in 2012 to 12 years confinement years, three years probation on first charge and 15 years probation on remaining three charges. Griffin said church staff can get training but that each church is ultimately responsible for what happens within. He was not charged for having sexual contact with a teen because the age of consent in Georgia is 16. The list was compiled by a former employee of the SBC's Executive Committee and was made public for the first time to place a "spotlight on truth and transparency.". The Georgia names include pastors, youth ministers, deacons, Sunday school teachers, a former choir director and a volunteer. In 1998, John Montgomery Eatman, 50s, deacon, South Cherokee Baptist Church, Woodstock, GA, was convicted for sexually abusing a 14 and 10 yr. old girl (1998 and 1984).

In 2006, Kevin Ogle, 42, former pastor, Northgate Colonial Baptist Church, Camden, SC, was arrested for cyber sex with officer who he thought was 14 yr. old girl initiated in GA. Ogle pleaded guilty to 15 charges of sexual exploitation of children. The church said Humphrey was not a youth leader, but was in the process of being checked out and interviewed for the position. In addition to the 34 named suspected abusers in Georgia churches, the identities of six people in Georgia were redacted. OUTCOME: Convicted in 2017 on 11 felony charges, including child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes and violation of the oath of public office. Southern Baptist Church List of Alleged Abusers. The list was released as an important step towards addressing the scourge of sexual abuse and implementing reform in the Convention, according to a joint statement by the Executive Committees Rolland Slade, chairman; and Willie McLaurin, its interim president and CEO. He registered as a sex offender in Georgia for a 2011 child molestation conviction. The incidents cover roughly 50 years, from at least 1968 to 2019. Gene Besen, the interim executive committee counsel, said in a statement after the meeting that the prompt release of the names is in the Southern Baptist Convention's best interests. On May 15, 2022, Guidepost Solutions published a disturbing report describing decades of sexual abuse and cover-ups within the Southern Baptist denomination. or anything. This story includes reporting from Associated Press reporter Deepa Bharath and Gannett Georgia Go editor Donnie Fetter. Due to the lack of research reflected by the document, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is not repeating the names or allegations against those named. document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Instead,senior leaders and their outside counsel closely guarded information about abuse allegations and lawsuits with a singular focus of avoiding liability, as stated in the report. Tommy Gilmore also was former minister, FBC, Tyler, TX, former employee, FBC, Atlanta, GA, former Children's Minister, FBC, Oviedo, FL, Children's ministry, Cornerstone Community Church, Center, FL Florida. Its both good that the names can been seen but its also very aggravating because it shows all along that Southern Baptists can keep a list and maintain a file, but they didnt, said Pittman, who grew up in Tucker and now lives in Florida where he works with survivors of childhood sexual abuse.. Registered Sex Offender in Georgia. Note: All submissions will go through our editorial approval process before being posted. He was accused of sexual abusing an 11-yr-old boy. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. The report details how survivors of sexual abuse have been contacting the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) Executive Committee (EC) to report child molesters and abusers for decades, but their concerns have been ignored. That reportwas released Sunday after a seven-month investigation. According to the report, D. August Boto, the committee's former vice president and general counsel, and former SBC spokesman Roger Oldham kept their own private list of abusive ministers. "This list is being made public for the first time as an initial, but important, step towards addressing the scourge of sexual abuse and implementing reform in the Convention," said two officials with the SBC committee. Yes. Charles S. Woodall, former youth leader, Northway Church on Zebulon Road, Macon, GA. Douglas Randall Pope, youth pastor, Merrywood Baptist Church Statesboro, GA, pleaded guilty to child molestation. To be registered as sex offender. Both retired in 2019. that is degrading to another person. OUTCOME: Registered sex offender in Georgia. OUTCOME: Registered as a sex offender in South Carolina for a sexual exploitation of children conviction from Georgia. Being victim centric is central," Griffin said. Compiled internally by a staffer of the conventions executive committee, the list includes a disclaimer that it is incomplete and inadequately researched. In an interview with The New York Times, Besen said that moving quickly means that some accused pastors' names may be redacted because the claims couldn't be substantiated by news reports and other sources, but researchers may put them back on the list as more facts are known. The report released by the Southern Baptist convention outlines hundreds of such cases in churches across north America including 40 of them in Georgia. In 2010, he pleaded guilty to molesting teenage boy and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Forty are Georgia cases. That part of it just breaks my heart., The New York Times assertsthat a handful of powerful leaders had the ability to stonewall abuse reports and attempts at accountability and reform, and that there was a long-standing pattern of intimating survivors and advocates who were disparaged as opportunistic, or acting as a professional victims.. Sentenced to probation as a first offender. OUTCOME: Registered sex offender in Georgia for 2001 convictions of aggravated child molestation and child molestation. I attempted I have a failed suicide attempt when I was in my 20s, he told CBS46. He then molested then boys. PREVIOUS STORY: Report alleges Southern Baptist Convention ignored sex abuse claims. Jeffery D. Heberlein, 43, Pastor, Akers Chapel Church, Plainville, GA and former pastor of Mount Gilead and Berdan Baptist churches in Greene County (2001-2003) pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 14 yr old girl from 2003-04. Matthew Brent Sheffield, volunteer, First Baptist Church, Canton, GA, pleaded guilty to a sex crime. Among those were details of how D. August Boto, the Executive Committee's former vice president and general counsel, and former SBC spokesman Roger Oldham kept their own private list of abusive pastors. Choose wisely! Reflecting on the revelations in the report, Ms. Brown added: Peoples lives have been absolutely decimated. OUTCOME: Convicted of two counts of sexual battery against a child under 16 in 2017 in Cobb County. CHURCH POSITION: Intern, summer camp organizer at Hebron Baptist Church COURT OF CONVICTION: Gwinnett County, 2012 OUTCOME: Sentenced to life in prison in 2012 after being convicted of 19 felony charges, including three counts of aggravated child molestation, 11 counts of sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of child molestation and three other charges. Passed a background check done by the church. He worked at Morning View Baptist, Rockmart (1981-87), Marietta, GA. Gowan reportedly left 2 prior churches amid allegations. Error! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); On May 15, 2022, Guidepost Solutions published a disturbing report describing decades of sexual abuse and cover-ups within the Southern Baptist denomination. There have have been no additions or alterations, however the names of witnesses, victims and those with unsubstantiated allegations against them have been redacted. OUTCOME: Registered as a sex offender in Georgia for two 2014 convictions (following guilty pleas) involving sexual battery of a child under 16, court and state records show. Listed on the Sex Offender Registry. Fiek got caught, and is now serving 90 years in prison. "We have become too familiar with using techniques to slow processes down," Ed Litton, president of the SBC's Executive Committee said, according to an account in Christianity Today of the decision to release the names of "credibly accused" pastors. Charged with Sexual Battery Against Child Under 16 years; Registered Sex Offender. Our prayer is that the survivors of these heinous acts find hope and healing, and that churches will utilize this list proactively to protect and care for the most vulnerable among us.. Registered sex offender in Georgia. In 1999, Dorsett was foundguilty in an Aiken County court of crimes committed between 1970 to 1998. For Dougherty, each story is a reminder of his own as he was abused by clergymen in his own church as a child. Threats of harming another It is incomplete. Then in 2016, volunteer youth minister Alexander Edwards was convicted of molesting an 11-year-old Marietta boy, receiving three years, while former janitor John Samuel Stafford pled guilty to a misdemeanor sexual battery charge and spent a month in jail. Each entry in this list reminds us of the devastation and destruction brought about by sexual abuse. In 1994, Kevin DeRosa, 33, former youth minister, Western Hills Baptist Church, Cobb County, GA, was convicted of molesting several male teens between 1992-93. behind bars. What it does include are entries that came from an admission, confession, guilty plea, conviction, judgement, sentencing or inclusion on a sex offender registry. The denomination hadabout 50,000 congregations and 13.7 million members as of 2021, a number that has declined steadily in recent years. accounts, the history behind an article. person will not be tolerated. Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. As the same time, as disheartening as the report is, I am thankful that the sinful problem is being addressed.. Under the "business as usual" practice, victims of sexual abuse and congregants who supported them repeatedly shared allegations of sexual abuse with top church leaders, "only to be met, time and time again, with resistance, stonewalling and even outright hostility" by some Executive Committee members, according to the nearly 300-page report. Norman Anthony Pugh, youth minister, Arnoldsville Baptist Church, Arnoldsville, GA, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 13 years in prison with another seven years on probation for inappropriately touching a 13 year old girl. Sentenced to 20 yrs. Perez Blackmon, registered sex offender pastor of church, Albany Herald, 10/30/10 Rosinvick Missionary Baptist Church, Blakely, GA; Church knowingly hired Blackmon, a registered sex offender. In a high-profile case from 2001, Sunday school teacher and sports instructor Gunter Fiek was found guilty of nearly two dozen child molestation charges. He said the church has changed its tune. On Jan. 25, 2006, she settled a civil suit with FBC Farmers Branch, TX. Jacob Alan "Jake" Morris, 25, was arrested and sentenced as stated below. OUTCOME: Registered sex offender in Georgia. Larry William Whitley, was convicted of child molestation and aggravated Sodom. Daniel Louis Kent, was a youth leader at First Baptist Church in Duluth. in prison when he pleaded guilty to 15 sex crimes against 7 boys between 1970-98. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism In 2001, Gunther Fiek, 30, Martial arts instructor, Sunday School and soccer camp, Eastside Baptist Church, Marietta, GA, was sentenced to 90 years in prison for abusing multiple children between 1996-2000. To be sentenced November 13. Derek Gillett, pastor, Cornerstone Community Church, Forsyth County, GA, and previously youth director, Midway United Methodist Church, Alpharetta, GA, pleaded guilty to two child molestation charges in May 2008 and sentenced to 10 years in prison; 10 years probation. Use the 'Report' link on COURT OF CONVICTION: Hall County and Douglas County, 2010 OUTCOME: Began serving a maximum sentence of life in Georgia State prison in 2010 after being convicted of 11 sex crimes in two counties. of probation. The name of the church is unknown. It's available on the website, too. He was convicted July 7, 2017. The denomination also released the full report of the investigation conducted by Guidepost Solutions on its handling of sexual abuse allegations. The Southern Baptist Convention said in a statement last week the lists release was an important, step towards addressing the scourge of sexual abuse and implementing reform in the Convention. The Survivors Network of those abused by Priests (SNAP). Guidepost agreed to create a hotline to collect allegations of abuse, and hold them confidentially until the SBS Sexual Abuse Task Force can create a process to look into them. CHURCH POSITION: Children's Director, Concord Baptist Church, Clermont, GA. Morris is the son of Senior Pastor Alan Morris. The Southern Baptist Church committee members announced in this meeting Thursday that they would release the list that had been held secret. OUTCOME: Registered sex offender in South Carolina for 1999 convictions, including criminal sexual conduct with minors. Copyright 2022 WGCL. view the list of SBC alleged abusers here. It is incumbent on our attorneys general, district attorneys, and local police and prosecutors to find the truth and share it with the American public., The list includes roughly 750 names with details of abuses they are alleged to have committed and links to news stories covering some of the cases. Released. The release of the list to the public closely follows the release Sunday of a lengthy independent investigation by Guidepost Solutions that examined hundreds of sexual abuse allegations leveled against Southern Baptist pastors, staffers and volunteers. Ordered to serve three years in prison with credit for time served on Aug. 18, 2017. The SBC is a Christian denomination based in the United States. The existence of the list was not widely known within the committee and its staff. Blackmon did not admit guilt but pleaded to a statutory rape charge rather than face a jury on charges of child molestation and rape. "Each entry in this list reminds us of the devastation and destruction brought about by sexual abuse. Example video title will go here for this video. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Southern Baptist Convention releases list of accused sexual abusers, Georgia family wants answers after woman dies in police custody, Gov. He also must serve 32 years probation after his release om prison, with more than 20 restrictions that include no contact with a minors. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. People in the pews need to know where and who these men are. The six Cobb men, however, were all convicted of their charges and have been previously identified in MDJ reports ranging from the late 1980s to 2016. We'd love to hear eyewitness At least six people who worked at Cobb County Baptist churches appeared on a previously secret list of sexual abusers maintained by the Southern Baptist Convention. He was charged with aggravated sexual battery in an assault of a youth. Theyre calling on attorneys general from each state to investigate the claims independent of the churchs efforts to investigate on their own and in some cases transfer ministers. There are many redactions or blacked-out sections on the list and it notes: The information is largely pulled from news articles complied from 2007 until 2022. Included on the list is a former youth pastor,Robert Smith Dorsett, at an Augusta church who received a 30-year prison sentence for sex crimes involving seven boys. The list was maintained for about a decade by an Executive Committee staff member who turned it over to the Executive Committee's former vice president and general counsel.

In Georgia, there are more than 3,370 Southern Baptist churches. As reported by the New York Times, the investigative report contains allegations of abuse of children and adults against male pastors, church employees and officials from 2000-present, and describes how senior leaders, including three former presidents, have protected or even supported abusers.. He fled to Knoxville, TN, where he volunteered at a local Baptist church. Incarcerated in Georgia. Don't knowingly lie about anyone The list includes 38 people in Georgia, as well as others who had worked in the state. It is not Southern Baptist specific.. stonewalled and denigrated sexual abuse victims. "We feel like education is central. DeRosa pleaded guilty to molesting six boys between 1992 and 1993, when he moved to New Jersey. Speak confidentially to a member of our team. The list of hundreds of ministers and church employees was released by the convention last week in the aftermath of a third-party review finding the church had covered up systemic abuse for years. To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to [emailprotected]. Pleaded guilty to child molestation. They had beenconvicted or accused of crimes ranging from child molestation and child pornography to domestic abuse. Be Proactive. The list, labeled highly confidential, was released in what two officials with the SBC committee said was " an initial, but important, step towards addressing the scourge of sexual abuse., Sunlight is the best disinfectant and we do not yet know whether current SBC leadership has thrown the window open wide or if they are still drawing curtains to protect their church, said Zach Hiner, executive director of SNAP (Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests). Years ago, a youth instructornamed Gunther Fiek preyed on children preyed on children at a Baptist church in Cobb County. Released. I went through a long decade-plus of self-medication and self-loathing.

Incarcerated in Georgia. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. Thirty-four people who pastored, worked in or volunteered at churches in Georgia are named on a list of alleged abusers released late Thursday by the Southern Baptist Conventions top leadership. Antoine Louis Jenkins (29) In 2008, Johnson posed as a girl on MySpace to lured two boys (ages 13 and 14) and attempting to lure a third (age 15) out of their homes at night for sexual encounters. Im fortunate that I get to be the face for SNAP, I get to do interviews like this. Southern Baptists secret list of sex abusers includes at least six from Cobb, Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Read the full list of accused clergy. The investigator found no indication that anyone "took any action to ensure that the accused ministers were no longer in positions of power at SBC churches.". Alexander Edwards, volunteer youth minister, Eastside Baptist Church, Marietta, GA, was arrested on charges of molesting an 11-year-old Marietta boy. The list includes about 750 names with details of the alleged abuses and news story links to the coverage of some of the cases. You have permission to edit this article. The Associated Press contributed reporting. Guaranteed placement on these platforms is $25. Thelistwhichspans decades andnumerousstatescontainsdetails of alleged incidences of assault and abuse, andthe namesof ministers and other church workerswho have beencredibly accused ofperpetratingabuse, as reported by the New York Times. The denomination's executive committee said Wednesday in a joint statement with Guidepost Solutions, which conducted the investigation, that it is creating a hotline for sexual abuse survivors that will be "an important stopgap measure" until more meaningful reform can be addressed at the SBC annual meeting in Anaheim, California, next month. Griffin said the Georgia Baptist Mission Board formed a sexual abuse committee months ago and said it will be a priority at upcoming state and national meetings later this year. The SBC said more research and analysis of the redacted entries will be conducted and anticipates that some of those entries will be released in the future. Hold the, Gender Discrimination against Transgender and Nonbinary People. On May 26, 2022, the SouthernBaptist Church (SBC)releaseda205pagelistofhundreds ofalleged abusers, which wascompiled by a former employee of the SBC ExecutiveCommittee. OUTCOME: Sentenced to more than 90 years in Cobb County, Ga., in 2001 after being convicted of 21 different felony offenses, including aggravated child molestation and felony child molestation, according to his Georgia prison and court records. Our prayer is that the survivors of these heinous acts find hope and healing, and that churches will utilize this list proactively to protect and care for the most vulnerable among us.". Humphrey pleaded guilty to two counts of child molestation and was sentenced to 20 years. In 2002 he fled Douglasville, GA, violating his probation and failing to register as a sex offender. The list followed a scathing 288-page report by Guidepost Solutions that detailed how the committee mishandled sex abuse allegations and stonewalled numerous survivors. The report, which is dated to February of this year, was apparently compiled between 2007 and 2022. Sex Offender Registry He must register. Share with Us. Organizations such as the Southern Baptist Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Olympic Committee, and so forth, are realizing that they can no longer keep these covered up, said Shaun Dougherty, the president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. GEORGIA The Southern Baptist Convention released a list of alleged abusers, that include nearly 40 people who pastored, worked or volunteered at churches in Georgia. That minister later moved to a Southern Baptist church in the Atlanta area. He was in Paulding County jail on similar charges. Griffin said Georgia Baptists have trained more than 7,000 church volunteers in recent years to recognize abuse, and to report it effectively.



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