Traditional Christian Family Values

Baker, 61, pleaded guilty in 2007 to molesting two boys and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Baker was temporarily with the US Marshal's Service, …

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A charismatic preacher who built a loyal following, despite his history as a child molester, has stepped from behind the pulpit and is staring down the long aisle of a 30-year prison sentence.

The congregation of Full Word Ministries in North Charleston stayed true to Pastor Tyrone Moore to the end. Church members on Wednesday crowded a Moncks Corner courtroom to support him, but the testimony of two boys proved damning.

Moore, 42, was convicted on two counts of committing a lewd act upon a minor, 9th Circuit Assistant Solicitor Debbie Herring-Lash said. She said a jury found Moore guilty of fondling two boys, ages 12 and 13, multiple times between 2004 and 2006 at his home in Berkeley County.

Circuit Judge R. Markley Dennis gave the preacher the maximum penalty — back-to-back 15-year terms.

“The victims, now 16 and 14, had to go into the details of these assaults,” Herring-Lash said. “One of the young victims lamented that he no longer wanted to attend church as a result of the assaults.”

Moore faces additional, similar charges, the solicitor’s office said.

It was not clear if the Gordon Street church is still open or if Moore had continued to preach until the trial this week. The church’s two phone numbers are disconnected, and one former member of the congregation said the church closed its doors a few weeks ago.

Full Word Ministries once boasted more than 1,000 members, but its numbers dwindled after Moore’s arrests in multiple molestation cases. He has been accused of molesting or assaulting eight young males at the church or in his home between 2002 and 2006. The accusers ranged in age from 11 to 21.

Moore was a married father of four children and a registered sex offender when he was arrested in 2006 and charged with molesting a 17-year-old youth at his church between 2002 and 2003. He later was charged and accused of molesting several other males at his Goose Creek home.

He had previously pleaded guilty in 1989 and 1991 to sexually abusing young girls while serving as choir director at his grandfather’s church, Reformed House of God in North Charleston. One girl told authorities that Moore apparently gave her a sexually transmitted disease that could prevent her from having children.

Prosecutors had tried to have Moore declared a sexually violent predator and to have him committed to a psychiatric institution, but the judge denied the request. Moore was released from jail in 2000. Two years later, he and his growing congregation bought the church, and he returned to his sexual exploits.

After the series of molestation charges in 2006, Moore spent about a year in jail before scraping together enough money to make bail, which was originally $1.25 million but had been reduced. He was no longer the sole pastor of the church but returned to the pulpit to preach to adults only, under the terms of his release.

The church hired off-duty police officers to keep juveniles out, and Moore awaited a vindication that never came.

One child’s family sued the church and its leaders, claiming they failed to protect him and other children from the known sex offender. The child’s attorney, Scott Beard, said that case was resolved a few months ago, but he said he couldn’t comment on the outcome.

The church in 2006 had leased a 10,000-square-foot building on Dorchester Road and planned to open a huge outreach center designed to draw children from the community. But soon after Moore’s arrest, the church was evicted from the space for failing to pay the rent.

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CHARLESTON COUNTY, SC (WCSC) -The suspect, 53 year old Ronald Jones was picked up by U.S. Marshals Monday night. Charleston County deputies say between September 1st and December 31st of last year, Jones rubbed his private parts against a 15 year old boy at a Johns Island address. Investigators say Jones sometimes preaches at the New Jerusalem A.M.E. Church on Wadmalaw Island where he is also a member.

Many of the folks who live near the church either are members or know Ronald Jones.  None of them wanted to go on camera, but when one of them was told about the arrest, he replied quote, “again?”

Jones has a long rap sheet that goes back to 1982. Most of his convictions are for fraudulent checks. He was put on probation in 2003 for Breach of Trust with Fraudulent Intent.

In this latest case, Jones’ accuser didn’t come forward until July second when he talked about the alleged sexual abuse to a counselor at the Lowcountry Children’s Center. Director Libby Ralston says it’s not uncommon for young victims to wait. “Children who have been sexually abused, the offender, very very often presents it as a positive, presents it as okay,” Ralston said.

Jones’ is charged with Crminal Sexual Conduct With A Minor Second Degree. A judge set his bond at $100,000. Deputies charged a second suspect in this case. Fifty two year old Sammy Grampus is charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct With A Minor and Disseminating Obscene Material To A Person Under 18.

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More charges have been filed against a local Roman Catholic Priest. Published reports say Monsignor Robert Borne, who was in court yesterday (Tuesday July 14th), is being charged with two more counts each of gross indecency, indecent assault and breach of trust, in connection with allegations he sexually assaulted two teenage boys between 1977 and 1995. That’s on top of the six similar charges laid agaisnt him in April in relation to allegations involving three teenage boys. The Monsignor was arrested after he turned himself into police on June 5th, and that’s when the new investigations began according to police. Borne was once the parish priest at St. James Church in Eganville and a pastor for a mission church in Golden Lake called the Nativity of Mary.

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SANTA ANA — A retired priest with a history of abuse allegations is behind bars today on new charges that he molested a young boy in the rectory and sacristy of a Costa Mesa church in the 1990s.

Denis Lyons, 75, of Seal Beach is being held on $100,000 bail at Orange County Jail and is expected to be arraigned today on charges of molesting the victim when he was in second and third grade from January 1992 and December 1995 at St. John the Baptist Catholic School, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s office.

Lyons assaulted the boy four times in the school’s adjoining church, prosecutors said.

Lyons – who was removed from ministry in 2002 — was taken into custody while playing cards at a community center near his Seal Beach home Monday, prosecutors said.

He has been charged with four felony counts of lewd conduct with a child younger than 14, along with a sentencing enhancement of committing substantial sexual conduct. If convicted of the charges, Lyons faces 14 years in prison.

Lyons has been criminally charged with molestation in the past.

In 2003, he was charged with molesting another male youth between 1978 and 1981 at St. John the Baptist. Prosecutors also accused him of assaulting two other male victims to corroborate that case.

But those charges had to be dismissed because of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that invalidated prosecutions of some older sex crimes.

“Our community has waited a long time for justice as to this defendant,” said Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas at a news conference this morning.

Lyons, who now resides in the retirement community of Leisure World in Seal Beach, was pastor at St. John’s when, in 1993, he admitted to inappropriate behavior with two adults in 1979.

The Diocese of Orange placed him into counseling, but then placed on administrative leave from the diocese in 2002 – when he was assigned to St. Edward Church in Dana Point. He was removed from ministry that year.

The priest has been a financial liability to diocese, which has paid out more than $4 million in settlements of sex-abuse claims since 2001.

The most recent settlement came in February, when the diocese settled a lawsuit brought by Jonathan Kirrer, 24, of Fountain Valley for an undisclosed amount.

Kirrer, a student at St. John the Baptist, alleged he was abused in 1994 and 1995. Kirrer claimed that Lyons abused him four times – twice in the parish rectory and twice in the church’s sacristy.

He reported the abuse to Costa Mesa police soon after filing the lawsuit in March 2008. Lyons denied the allegations.

Prosecutors and Kirrer’s lawyer, V. James DeSimone would not comment on whether Kirrer was the victim in this case. Typically, alleged victims in criminal cases remain anonymous unless they otherwise choose to identify themselves.

DeSimone commended prosecutors for bringing charges against Lyons, and also criticized the diocese for not removing Lyons from ministry sooner.

“There are many victims who have brought forth allegations against Father Lyons,” DeSimone said.

He mentioned the case of Karl Romahn, a former Navy Seal who accused Lyons of molesting him and his brother in 1979.

Romahn came forward in 1994 and told Msg. John Urell of the allegations, DeSimone said.

The diocese ended up settling that lawsuit, he added.

“The diocese had credible allegations brought by two brothers who wanted nothing more than for Father Lyons not to harm other children,” DeSimone said. “Several individuals could have been saved from having to go through what they did but the diocese turned a blind eye toward those allegations.”

Ryan Lilyengren, a spokesman for the diocese, said today that Lyons “was removed from ministry April 24, 2002 and was committed to a life of prayer and penance. Rev. Lyons has not been permitted to return to ministry or the Diocese of Orange in any public capacity since his removal.”

He added that the diocese cooperated with authorities in the investigation.

“We remain committed to ensuring the events of the past are never repeated and encourage all to pray for the victims of sexual abuse and their families,” he said.

Lyons’ three lawyers who handled the Kirrer lawsuit could not be reached.

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Some Tea residents are calling for a pastor with a history of theft and sex crimes to remove himself from efforts to open a new youth center.

Meanwhile, more court records have become available that detail allegations against Joe Panaia Jr., 42-year-old pastor of Bridging the Gap Ministries.

Volunteers organized by Panaia plan to open a Christ-based hangout on Tea’s Main Street this month for students in grades six through 12. But if the plan is to succeed, some say, Panaia will have to take himself out of the picture.

Tea City Council member Herman Otten has received a few calls from people concerned about Panaia.

“A person with his past history would probably make me severely concerned about letting my kids go up there,” he said. But if Panaia is not involved, “I think it would ease people’s fears.”

Court records not available earlier this week offer more insight into Panaia’s past:

According to a police affidavit, Panaia was working at Good Samaritan Luther Manor in 2001 when he hugged a female coworker and showed her his genitals. He pleaded guilty to indecent exposure and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.

Another affidavit states that in 2005, while working at a McDonald’s restaurant, he fondled a new employee and asked her to perform oral sex on him. Prosecutors charged him with sexual contact without consent, but he was never indicted and the matter was dropped.

Also in 2005, Panaia admitted he failed to report family income and received an extra $6,357 in food stamps and Medicaid benefits. He spent two days in jail for social services fraud.

According to his Web site, Panaia began the ministry to help people who are institutionalized in hospitals, jails and prisons.

Tom Stadem, youth pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Tea, said continuing to work with those populations is Panaia’s best chance at rebuilding his reputation.

“Once you violate the public trust, you don’t regain it by working with children,” he said.

Stadem said he plans to speak with Panaia soon. He said he’ll urge him to clear up his past, which includes an outstanding warrant on bigamy and perjury charges in Maryland. That case is still pending, and there is a warrant out for Panaia’s arrest after he skipped a court hearing in February, said Deputy Washington County State’s Attorney Joe Michael. The Maryland prosecutor said he wishes Panaia would return to Maryland to clear up that case.

“That would send a strong message to his intention and motivation. Coming clean is part of repentance,” Stadem said.

Panaia could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Youth center volunteer Perry Edblom has said Panaia has always wanted the project to be a community effort and is willing to distance himself from it.

Tea Mayor John Lawler said that although some residents have asked city officials to intervene, the city has no control over whether the youth center opens because Panaia does not need a building permit. Despite that, Panaia recently called the mayor to set up a meeting.

“He just would like to meet with me and explain his background,” Lawler said. “I’m willing to listen.”

MERCEDES - A minister from a church in Donna will face more charges in connection with a child sex abuse case.

The Mercedes police chief tells NEWSCHANNEL 5 61-year-old Tomas Gonzales will face two new felony counts of indecency with a child.

A third victim has come forward alleging abuse.

Police say all of the victims are relatives of the minister.

Gonzales is behind bars charged with eight counts of aggravated sexual abuse and two counts of indecency with a child.

Gonzales has already confessed to committing the abuse.

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The new report on clerical child abuse in the Irish capital of Dublin contains allegations that certain priests were moved from parish to parish to protect them from the law.

Officials at the Irish Department of Justice say they have been shocked by findings in the report, which was submitted by the Dublin Diocese Commission, on how the Catholic Church in Dublin handled the claims.

The report, which was commissioned in 2006, is forthright with its findings and describes how certain priests were moved from one parish to another in an effort to keep them one step ahead of the law.

Submitted to the Minister of Justice, Dermot Ahern, last week, the report has no confirmed publication date, as two priests named in the document are to be prosecuted for child abuse offenses, and the Attorney General is looking into the legal ramifications of publication.

Archbishop of Dublin Dr. Diarmuid Martin has said that people will be horrified by the report, which looks at 46 cases of alleged abuse since 1940 and the way which the heads of the Church in Dublin managed them.

The report covers the period from when Archbishop John Charles McQuaid ministered the community right up to Cardinal Desmond Connell.

Last year, Cardinal Connell tried to stop Archbishop Martin providing “privileged documents” to the Commission, but he subsequently decided to not pursue this objection.

story.

TULSA (CN) - Parents of an alleged victim of sexual abuse say Grace Fellowship Christian School hid millions of dollars in assets to try to duck judgment during the criminal trial of a teacher who was charged with sexually molesting young students.
Aaron Thompson, a teacher with Grace Fellowship, was charged in 2002 with lewd molestation of his young male students, according to the complaint in Tulsa County Court.
The parents of one alleged victim say the school delayed reporting Thompson’s abuses, and after the teacher was charged, “transferred assets amongst themselves, and to third parties … and renegotiated financial commitments with the intent to protect themselves from the claims of the plaintiffs and other victims.”
Among the transferred assets were a $7.5 million mortgage on the church school and land, according to the complaint.
The parents say the school failed to act despite receiving a multitude of complaints over a span of several years, and that when Thompson was charged with lewd molestation, it hid assets in one of its own companies, Grace Fellowship Title Holding Corp., and with other third parties.
The school hired Thompson as a P.E. teacher in 1996. The parents say Thompson abused his position for years to “’special’ relationships with certain young boys,” including their son. They say Thompson’s abuse included “stalking, touching, fondling, molestation, sexual assault, mutual masturbation, and other sexual acts.”
They seek punitive damages for negligence, intentional or reckless infliction of emotional distress, and fraudulent conveyance.
Grace Fellowship Inc. does business under a variety of names, including Bob Yandian Ministries Inc., The Word Shoppe, The School of the Local Church, and Real Answers Bookstore, according to the complaint. Bob Yandian and other church and school officials are also named as defendants. The private K-12 school in Tulsa hired teachers who were “members and ordained ministers of the church,” according to the complaint.
The parents are represented by James Dunham.

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