Pastor convicted of sexually assaulting parishoner, acquitted of other charges

"Many exploiters act as if their position of respect and access confers upon them a license to behave as they please without fear of consequences." - Dr. Robert Shoop

A Toronto jury found a pastor, Reverend Frank Seekop Lawrence, guilty of sexually assaulting a 29 year old woman he claimed to give "healing" baths and naked rubdowns to rid her of evil spirits, but acquitted him of all other counts, including assault and threatening to kill the woman, who has his child.

Coverage from the Toronto Star, Pastor guilty of sexual assault:

They also found him not guilty of sexually assaulting a second woman, now 45, who also had his baby. It took the jury three days to come to its verdict.

In an earlier Star story, Pastor abused trust, jury told:

The older woman said he forced her to the floor and raped her after the three baths and once during a graveyard ritual at midnight. She said she kept going back because he threatened her with evil spirits.

At least a dozen of the 59-year-old pastor's followers and friends waited in the courthouse hallway throughout.Lawrence admitted in 2005 family court documents to having nine other children, age 8 to 22, by four other mothers [including the 45-year old parishioner], whom he supported on an income of $19,600 a month.

Prosecutor Paul Zambonini, who told the jury that in [Canadian] law there cannot be consensual sex between two people when one is in a position of power, trust, or authority, later praised them for their hard work.

At the time of the sex assault, Lawrence ran his Toronto Mount Zion Revival Church of the Apostles out of the basement of his home. In dramatic testimony lasting five days, the victim said he gave her black magic baths, for which he charged $150, to rid her of evil spirits, then ordered her to stand up and drip dry while he rubbed her naked body with brown ointment.

Anthony Robbins, Lawrence's lawyer, disagreed with the assumption that sex between a parishioner and a pastor can't ever be consensual, and is considering filing an appeal. "My concern is that the jury found that (the complainant) could not be believed beyond a reasonable doubt in respect of all but one of her allegations. It is going to be up to the judge to find which of the numerous (alleged) sexual assaults the jury convicted her on. She claimed constant sexual abuse over a nine-month period."

The victim testified that her mother brought her to the pastor to treat headaches when she was 17, and in 2003, when she was 25, Lawrence allowed her to stay at his home, which she did. Then the abuse started. Sentencing is scheduled for February 28th.

(Update 3-27-08) Lawrence was sentenced to 4 years in prison March 26 for the sexual assault of a parishioner.

Rev. Frank Seeko Lawrence "grossly abused his position as pastor and spiritual healer by threatening a vulnerable and trusting young woman," Superior Court Justice Edward Belobaba said yesterday.

Belobaba ruled that the jury's verdict means the pastor of Toronto Mount Zion Revival Church is guilty of fondling and touching, as well as five to 10 instances of forced sexual intercourse, between April and December 2003, when the victim was 24. The Toronto-born woman, who cannot be named, gave birth to a girl as a result.

By way of mitigation, the judge noted that Lawrence has no criminal record and is much loved and admired by his parishioners, to whom he is "generous and compassionate." Nine female and two male supporters were in court yesterday.

"He fully intended to make her pregnant and he succeeded in doing so," the judge said. Belobaba quoted Lawrence as once asking the woman, "What is taking you so long to get pregnant?" and warning her, "If you're using any birth control, the spirits will know."