A former Lawrence woman took the stand Friday in Douglas County District Court describing sexual abuse that took place nearly a decade ago at the hands of a former church youth leader.
"He was the youth director at my church - he was like a mentor to me," the 24-year-old woman said.
The victim came forward to Lawrence police last year, nine years after she claims the relationship started.
On the stand Friday afternoon, she testified that while she was a member of the youth group at a Lawrence church, she was involved in a three-year sexual relationship with the youth director.
She was 15 years old when it started. He was 28.
She testified she kept a journal during the time frame but didn't tell anyone about the relationship until much later.
"I think it was just understood. It was kind of an unspoken rule that if I told anyone it would be over," she said.
The woman said the relationship ended when she turned 18. She said the defendant got married at that time and moved to California to attend seminary.
She said what prompted her to come forward was the fact that the man - who is now 37 - was about to become an ordained minister and looking to return to northeast Kansas to work.
"It was bothersome," she said. "It bothered me he might work in a church where my little brother still goes."
After listening to the woman's testimony, Douglas County District Judge Robert Fairchild ordered the man to stand trial on a charge of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.
He's free on $20,000 bond and scheduled to appear back in court July 14 for a motions hearing in the case.
The Journal-World typically does not identify suspects in sex crimes unless there is a conviction.
Comments
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BigPrune (anonymous) says…
What, no name of the church?
yourworstnightmare (anonymous) says…
Looks like criminal sexual abuse is not restricted to the catholic church.Yay, religion. Where power differentials are exploited by the strong on the weak-willed and weak-bodied.
Buggie7 (anonymous) says…
Sounds like she was getting hers so when he decided to move on and get married to someonce else she was saying to herself "OH hell no" and decided to get revenge. There are things in teens diaries that are purely fantasy and how they want to percieve and see things. She liked what she had and wasnt about to let him move on.
yourworstnightmare (anonymous) says…
She was a minor, and the law and most people recognize that minors don't make the best decisions about things like sex, drugs, etc. It is irrelevant if she "wanted it" or not. This man broke the law by having sex with a minor, and abused his position of authority over children.This man is a repugnant criminal.
Buggie7 (anonymous) says…
Marion is not nervous about anything. This woman was a teen and that was wrong I agree with you there. However, she waited until recently when this guy wanted to move on with his life. The whole story is fishy and as I said again I have had diarys/journals and so have my friends and most of what is in them are fantasy because they are so young. She waited until he was getting married to another to raise the point of what he "did to her" He may have done wrong and it should be investigated but shes 24 now for petes sake and she has known for a while that it was wrong to carry on a "relationship" with this guy. only now the tables have turned and he wants someone else. Sounds like there were 2 unspoken deals here. 1.) she talks and it will all be over and no relationship for her and 2.) He cant be with anyone else or she will spill the beans. Because of the time frame im more apt to believe this relationship was after she was 18 and she is a jealous one who will stop at nothing to keep him from being with another so she is making up stories as revenge trying to use the journals of a teenage fantasy.
Buggie7 (anonymous) says…
uh oh ljworld stalker get em Marion LOL
srj (anonymous) says…
Innocent until proven guilty went out the window I guess. You know the DA has to be shaking there head, a minister having "relations" with a 15 year old girl nine years ago. How do you win a case like this?
Crossfire (anonymous) says…
...three-year sexual relationship=thee years of rape...This minister/molester raped a 15 year old.How many did he rape before?How many has he raped in the last 10 years?How many will he rape in the next 10 years?
classclown (Class Clown) says…
Cue old movie dramatic music.
Warren6032 (anonymous) says…
I don't think Marion & IGW likes each other. Can't we all just get along. Both need a hug LOL
yourworstnightmare (anonymous) says…
The delayed reporting is a question. My guess is she had tried to forget it, was ashamed about it, wanted to hide it from her family, (fill in blank).Again , it doesn't matter. This youth minister, put in a position of authority over children, committed statutory rape for three years. Now, he is an ordained minister coming back to Kansas to head a congregation.Could it be that this victim was moved to report this now because of the position of authority (over children) this statutory rapist will once again assume?
yourworstnightmare (anonymous) says…
"There is also the likilhood that the entire story is a fabrication like the "repressed memory" craze of a few years back.I'm not taking any bets but it would not surprise me."This is in fact a possibility. However, Judge Fairchild was apparently convinced to the point of bringing charges. As we can only assume the judge is more familiar with the facts than we are, it is a good thing you are not placing any bets.
beatle919 (Marcy McGuffie) says…
"She waited until he was getting married to another to raise the point of what he "did to her" He may have done wrong and it should be investigated but shes 24 now for petes sake and she has known for a while that it was wrong to carry on a "relationship" with this guy. only now the tables have turned and he wants someone else."Reread the article. He was getting married when she was 18 and came forward a year ago when she must have been 23. If she wanted "revenge," for him moving on with another, she'd have sought it then, don't you think?
dorothyhr (Dorothy Hoyt-Reed) says…
Of course he is a Christian so he will go to heaven. If she was turned off by her religion because of the incident, but became a kind loving person, she will go to hell. Or at least that's what some churches say. This church may be about good deeds (I don't stereotype Christians), so they are appalled enough not to allow him to be a minister. At least they weren't gay or got an abortion. Those sins apparently send you to hell whether or not you are a Christian, according to some sects.
beatrice (anonymous) says…
"Why is it that these things surface only after many years have passed?"Because children don't have the maturity to understand the situation they are in at the time. There are issues of guilt mixed with attraction, humiliation, desire etc... to be dealt with when an adult becomes sexually involved with a minor. In many cases, only as adults do the victims come to realize how bad the situation really was, and they realize they can do something about it before it happens again to another child. That is why these things might not say something earlier. The victim in this case should be applauded for coming forward, not vilified as we find so many here trying to do to her. Would you rather she say nothing if you knew the next victim would be your child, your neice, your neighbor? It just might be. However, I guess some people would prefer victims keep quiet, especially after a period of time has passed. I'm quite sure pedophiles have this viewpoint.
yourworstnightmare (anonymous) says…
Marion,You are foolish to assume that all of the facts are reported in this story. Then again, you are foolish more often than not, so never mind.To hide behind the "accusation not conviction" argument is silly. As if this rule is followed by anyone on this forum. It is a given, and is a weak argument. You resort to it because you have no other argument."For" is spelled "for", not "fro"."Therin" is incorrect. Should be "therein".This sentence is a real mess. Maybe you should have another go at it:"Now if a corroborating witness turns up or the guy confesses; not: confesses,,not pleads; two different things entirely, that's a different story."
World_Vision (anonymous) says…
I agree that this case sounds a bit odd. But we also have to remember that ljworld reporting, like any newspaper, can omit a lot of information while framing other information out of context. So all we really have to go by is taking this article at face value.Having said that. I do think it is odd when a victim takes so long to come forward. But I do know that it can take victims a long time to get a handle on their experience and become emotionally able to deal with the legal and stressful aspects of coming forward.Even so. 28 year olds can and do make mistakes and make bad decisions. I am not sold on the idea that this makes him a pederast or a permanent danger to anyone else. What would be very telling is if other victims come forward.As was mentioned before, there does not appear to be any evidence, at least as far as we know. Other then her diary, which could probably easily be kept out of evidence oddly enough as 'hearsay', even though she wrote it herself. It would be very easy to fake and forge a diary. But if that truly where the case, and nothing had ever happened, then why would this victim come forward? What would be her motivation?She mentioned that she is bothered and scared that this man might work in a church where her younger brother goes. Shouldn't it be obvious on its face that this guy is into girls, and not boys? Her saying that sounds like purely inflammatory baiting for public opinion.
compmd (anonymous) says…
Marion,Your 1:50pm post is excellent.
trackstar (anonymous) says…
I really think that it interesting to see just how much time you people spend out of your day to leave comments on stories that aren't even on the front page of the paper. You people must have a lot of time on your hands. Anyway, there are many cases where people keep information quiet due to being threatened or they just repress the memory of the event until something triggers the emotion all over again. In this case, you have a girl who seems like she very much involved in her church and youth group that she may have been looked down upon after she told. Or the sicko really did use his authority abusively and made her keep it quiet. But you all are a little bit weird for skipping a beautiful day today and spending all day inside writing stupid comments that will not affect any part of the whole trial. Go outside once and a while and do something productive.
Gina (Gina Bailey-Carbaugh) says…
Hmm, between Marion and IGW, its easy to forget what was the origin of this thread.Oh, yeah, a young girl was taken advantage of by a much older man in a position of authority. His a sicko, she's a victim.
trackstar (anonymous) says…
Another thing to add...It is interesting to see so many insults at each other on a newspaper's website like people are really going to care what it said on a blog. These stories are not put here to provide an excuse to argue with each other about who is more foolish. These are here to inform and keep Lawrence updated on what is going on around them. And the editors think these comments are going to help the issue. It may get more people to read the paper, but no one pays attention to the story that is posted. I think at times, these things are pointless and don't get the news across at all.
toe (anonymous) says…
Does anyone know the name of the church? Was it Good Shepherd?
feeble (anonymous) says…
He touches her 'cause he wants to feel itWe blame her for being thereWe are all hereguilty-Suggestion, 1989, FUGAZI