Catholic priest who fathered child suspended from ministry

A priest exposed as being the father of a now 22 year old son was suspended yesterday by the Catholic Dioscese of Superior, WI by his superiors. Father Henry Willenborg was suspended immediately, according to spokesman Richard Lyons. "He is to step down from active ministry and any involvement in church events until we have a chance to clarify the information that was in the New York Times article today," Lyons said.

Father Willenborg fathered Nathan Halbach after an "affair" with his mother, Pat Bond, currently of O'Fallon, MO, which started back in 1983.  The seduction came after he led a Catholic women's retreat. Father Willenborg led Pat aside for a kiss, beginning five years of intimate sexual exploitation, leading to Nathan's birth and the breakup of her existing marriage.

In public, they were both leaders in their Catholic community in Quincy, Ill. In private they functioned like a married couple, sharing a bed, meals, movie nights and vacations with the children.


Eventually they had a son, setting off a series of legal battles as Ms. Bond repeatedly petitioned the church for child support. The Franciscans acquiesced, with the stipulation that she sign a confidentiality agreement. It is now an agreement she is willing to break as both she and her child, Nathan Halbach, 22, are battling cancer.

Ms. Bond retained a lawyer, and the Franciscans gave her $1,000 toward the costs of the birth that were not covered by insurance, and $505 toward baby furniture. The Franciscans further agreed to pay $600 a month for the baby’s first 10 months, until Ms. Bond could return to work in a travel agency, and after that $350 a month in child support until Nathan turned 18. It added up, after bank and legal fees, to about $85,000 paid in a lump sum.

The Franciscans also agreed to pay half of Nathan's University of Missouri tuition until he turned 21 and "extraordinary medical expences" until age 23 and it is thair refusal to do so which led the victims to tell their stories.

According to Nate, "Father" Willenborg never functioned as a father to him, just as a priest. “I’ve always called him Father Henry — never Father, never Dad. I always felt he picked religion over me.”

Most tellingly, the "relationship" ended after another woman showed up to Bond's house and told Pat that Father WIllenborg had been seeing that second victim even since high school. Soon afterwards, the Franciscans sent Willenborg to this order for treatment.

The exposure was assisted by SNAP, who met in St. Louis yesterday, where the regional Franciscan head is based. SNAP wants the Franciscans as well as the Superior Dioscese to pay the 22 year old's medical expenses.

Spokane, WA pastor convicted of rape attempt, faced 20 to life, got 18 years

(Original Post 6-13-08)
By Associated Press

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - A former pastor in Spokane has been convicted of attempted rape.The Rev. Herman Lewis was convicted Wednesday for an April 30, 2007, incident when he offered a woman $50 to have sex with him and then attempted to drag her out of a Shari's restaurant when she refused.

Lewis was pastor of Morning Star Baptist Church, but lost his job after his arrest.An addition to attempted rape, the jury convicted the 50-year-old Lewis on first- and second-degree assault charges. He was acquitted of indecent liberties and of a second count of first-degree assault.Lewis faces 20 years to life when he is sentenced next month.

(Update 7-31-08) Lewis was sentenced to 18 years in prison by Spokane County Superior Court Judge Tari Eitzen. His sentenced matched prosecutors' request, while the defense asked for 3 years. Lewis explained his actions by being on anti-psychotic drugs. Besides the prison time, Lewis will have to pay $7385 in restitution for damage to police squad cars during the chase, and will have to register as an sex offender.

RC Priest accused of touching man in hot tub - gets off in all senses of the word

(Original post 6-12-08)

Roman Catholic priest Rev. Frank Murd, 66, is on trial for allegedly touching a 26 year old man in a hot tub at a YMCA at a Toledo, OH suburb.

Testifying in the sexual imposition trial of the Rev. Frank Murd, the victim said the priest joined him in the hot tub about 9:30 p.m. March 18 and began fondling him.The man says he then started to float on his back, which is when Murd started to masturbate the man.

The man said he was shocked so he let it go on for 45 seconds to a minute..The man told Judge James Jensen, who is hearing the case in lieu of a jury, that he was offended by the unsolicited act and informed Father Murd that it was inappropriate. He said the incident lasted no more than a minute."I felt like I had been violated," the victim said.

Murd admitted touching the other man inappropriately, but felt like it had been an accident.

"As I was getting out, I did touch him... by accident and I did apologize to him."

Prosecutors claimed that "[Murd] used the JCC as a playground, a hunting ground to look for his next victim," while the defense claimed that Murd was charged only after the victim found out he was a priest. The bench trial will continue until Friday.

Murd, formarly pastor of St. Joseph’s Church in Maumee, resigned after the victim reported the incident to the Sylvania Township police. Murd faces 60 days in jail and a $500 fine for the 3rd degree misdemeanor charge.

(Update 6-13-08) Murd is acquitted of all charges by Lucas County Common Pleas Judge James Jensen.

Pastor sentenced to 3 years in prison for sexually abusing women

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PORTLAND -- A pastor who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting five women in his Portland church was sentenced to three years in prison.

Sergio Alvarizares, 39, the former co-pastor of Casa del Padre, a nondenominational Spanish-speaking church, had originally been charged with raping one woman, attempting to rape two others and sexually abusing two others. Last month, he pleaded guilty to attempted rape and third-degree sexual abuse. Alvarizares and his wife, who have three sons, had been co-pastors of the church for several years.

The crimes became public last fall when a woman interrupted a Sunday service to accuse Alvarizares of making unwanted sexual advances. Other women then stood up to confront Alvarizares. As the crowd grew unruly, five people reportedly tried to get onto the pulpit. Several people dialed 9-1-1 and police arrived to restore order.

The pastor was arrested in mid-October at his Ridgefield, Wash., home.

During Wednesday's hearing in a Multnomah County court, Deputy District Attorney Christine Mascal thanked the women for coming forward with their stories despite repercussions.

"They were driven away from the congregation ... by supporters of the defendant," Mascal said. "And in spite of that, they are here today."

The terms of the plea agreement required Alvarizares to stand up in court Wednesday and apologize. "Do I have to?" he asked Judge Eric Bergstrom. "Yes," the judge replied.

In a voice lacking emotion, Alvarizares read a few sentences from an apology letter, saying in part that he was "sincerely sorry for all the sexual contact."

One of the victims spoke, telling Alvarizares that he abused her trust. She also spoke of the humiliation of coming forward.

"I was publicly pointed at, labeled and my personal things were aired as if they were public," she said.

Priest sentenced to 4 years in rapes of female inmates

Vincent Inametti, 48, a priest who had sex with two inmates at a federal prison for women in Ft. Worth, will be serving 4 years in prison for sexual abuse of an adult ward. His sentencing judge was U.S. District Judge Terry Means. FMC Carswell is a federal medical center for women prisoners. Inametti worked there from August 13, 2000 to September 26, 2007 and was ordained in his native Nigeria. Inametti is a naturalized US citizen.


According to documents filed in the case, Inametti worked as a Catholic chaplain at FMC Carswell from August 13, 2000, to September 26, 2007. He is a naturalized U.S. citizen who was ordained in his native country, Nigeria. He pleaded guilty in November to two counts of sex abuse of a ward.

The Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, (DOJ-OIG) received a complaint in March 2007 that Inametti was sexually involved with a particular inmate, D.D. Subsequent investigation by DOJ-OIG agents revealed that Inametti was also sexually involved with another inmate, E.R. Both inmates were serving federal prison sentences for drug distribution conspiracy convictions.

D.D. became acquainted with Inametti in August 2004 when she began attending Catholic services, joining the choir and participating in Bible study classes at FMC Carswell. E.R. became acquainted with Inametti a few months later, in November 2004, as a result of her assignment as a clerk for the Religious Services Department at FMC Carswell.

In documents filed in Court, Inametti admitted that in February 2006, he directed D.D. to the chapel library, where he engaged in a sexual act with her. He further admitted that in June or July 2006, he summoned E.R. to a classroom in the chapel where he engaged in a sexual act with her.

In sentencing, Means was more blunt. "This is rape and this is sodomy," he said.

Sentencing guidelines called for a sentence between 10 and 16 months, but because Inametti betrayed the trust of both a federal employee and as a priest.

"For this he will face a higher authority than this one," Means said.

Pastor sentenced to 26 1/2 years in prison for molseting and raping female congregants

A pastor of a now defunct church was sentenced to 26 1/2 years for molesting and sexually exploiting females between ages 7 and 24 in a Kitsap, WA church. Robbin Leeroy Harper, 60 was arrested in November after 10 victims claimed they were either raped, molested, or both by the pastor. Harper pled guilty to 7 felony and one misdemeanor count of sexual abuse charges, and a joint recommendation of 23 1/4 years was submitted by both the prosecution and defense.

Harper was apologetic in his statements to the packed courthouse.

"I'm ashamed," he said. "From the beginning of this, I never wanted to go to trial. I wanted to plead guilty from the beginning."

Harper said he had tried to seek help over the past two years, and said the time in jail so far has been beneficial. "Many of the questions people have here are the same ones I have," he said.

The sentencing allowed the attorneys, victims, family and friends of the victims and Harper, and Harper himself to speak. Several family members of victims took the opportunity, as well as one victim, in addition to Harper.

Court documents indicate that, as the head of the now defunct Church in South Colby, Harper used his office to hold private meetings with the victims, who ranged in age from 7 to 24. The meetings led to suggestive hugs, then inappropriate touching, followed by molestation and sexual acts.

Harper was sentenced to 26 1/2 years in prison, but with good behavior, he should only serve 24. He will be registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

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."