Missouri pastor sentenced 25 years for
producing child pornography
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A former Pineville, Missouri, pastor was sentenced Wednesday in federal court today for producing child pornography.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crime Task Force, and the Pineville Police Department investigated the case.
Ryan Daniel Crawford, 33, of Austin, Arkansas, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Crawford to pay $2,500 in restitution to one of the victims of his molestation, and sentenced Crawford to 20 years on supervised release following incarceration.
On Sept. 16, 2019, Crawford pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography.
Crawford admitted that he had touched the 9-year-old victim’s genitals with his hands, and that he had photographed her genitals with his cell phone while she was sleeping.
Investigators located sexually explicit images of the child victim on Crawford’s cell phone.
Crawford was the assistant pastor at First Baptist Church in Pineville for approximately seven years until his arrest on state charges in 2017.
He was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2019 and the state charges were dismissed. Crawford has remained in federal custody since his arrest on the federal indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller, Western District of Missouri, prosecuted the case.
This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 25,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child exploitation material, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2019, more than 3,500 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.
Great work!
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.
Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
Austin, Ark
Uniting church allowed paedophile priest to deliver sermon and posted it online
This article is more than 1 year old. The original story may be found here (5th story), it was erroneously put into a file with Catholic paedophiles, though Aitchison and the Uniting Church are Anglican
Exclusive: church promoted John Aitchison’s involvement while he was on trial on further child abuse charges
Convicted paedophile priest John Aitchison giving a sermon at the Pitt Street Uniting church, Sydney, in 2016. Photograph: YouTube
Melissa DaveyThe Uniting church allowed a paedophile priest who had been jailed twice to deliver a sermon in Sydney and then posted it online, because he signed a piece of paper saying that he would not harm more children.
The church also promoted John Aitchison’s involvement in a church event while he was on trial in 2018 facing further serious child abuse charges, removing his name from the line-up only when he was convicted.
In April 2018 Aitchison, 67, was found guilty of five charges of rape and eight acts of indecency against then 13-year-old Georgie Burg in Canberra in the 1980s. The former Anglican priest was sentenced to nine years in jail, having already served prison time twice for child abuse that occurred in the United Kingdom, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.
While he was on trial for abusing Burg, the Pitt Street Uniting Church in Sydney was promoting Aitchison’s attendance at a “Behind the Scenes Organ Tour” scheduled for 6 May 2018. The event was described as “child friendly”.
Until two weeks ago a video of Aitchison delivering a sermon at the Pitt Street church was available on YouTube. The video was recorded in 2016, when Aitchison was a known and convicted paedophile. A survivor of Aitchison’s abuse, who cannot be named, approached the church at the time and asked them to remove the 24-minute video, a copy of which has been obtained by Guardian Australia.
The video had still not been removed last month, when Burg came across it. At the time the sermon was delivered, charges had been laid against Aitchison for offences against Burg. At the end of the sermon, Aitchison refers to the church’s support.
The YouTube video shows Aitchison wearing a purple stole. He tells the congregation that religious people tended to “like the idea of being hugged by the heavenly father”.
Georgie Burg aged 16. This year she met with Pitt Street church officials Margaret Mayman and Nicole Rose. Photograph: Georgie Burg who was raped by then Anglican priest John Aitchison in the 1980s./Georgie Burg
“I suppose it might be rather nice to be hugged by God, but I find when I pass through times of crisis, and I’ve experienced more than my share of crises these past six months, I need real hugs from real, live, flesh and blood people, not hugs from God,” he said.
“And I might mention in passing the Pitt Street people are superb at giving hugs – verbal hugs, letters in the post hugs, and email hugs as well as physical hugs, and hugs that are sensitive and appropriate, hugs that are sensitive without being invasive.”
Sounds like he was grooming the whole congregation!
On 20 March, Burg met two representatives of the church. They told Burg that Aitchison was not employed by the church at the time, but received a stipend. They denied that anyone else had complained about the YouTube video, but told Burg they would remove it. It has since been taken down.
Burg said they did not answer questions about whether representatives from the church had visited Aitchison in jail.
“They told me he wasn’t allowed to be around children, aside from overseeing choirs,” Burg told Guardian Australia. “They said he had done his time and they trusted him. They said the Uniting church were the real victims in this because Aichison had been grooming them as well.
“I said, ‘Hang on a minute. You knew he’d gone to jail twice for child abuse offences and you welcomed him in.’”
Aitchison was at Pitt Street church from at least 2013, records show. Burg’s husband, Phil Burg, was also at the meeting. He said they told him and his wife the church had asked Aitchison to sign a piece of paper promising not to abuse more children.
“They said they had a document he signed, that everything had been in the past, a long time ago, and he agreed to certain conditions around his conduct, such as no unsupervised contact with kids,” he said.
A Uniting church spokeswoman told Guardian Australia Aitchison “had a role within the church as one of several ad hoc organists” but he “no longer has that role”. She did not describe the video as a sermon but as a “reflection”.
“These reflections are often uploaded, the reflection containing the individual in question was removed once it was brought to our attention by the survivor,” she said. “We have met with the survivor and expressed our regret at any distress that may have been caused.” The spokeswoman did not refer to Burg or Aitchison by their names.
Georgie Burg said the church’s response was unacceptable. “If it’s not a sermon, why let the guy wear priestly garbs?” she said.
“He looks like a priest. Church newsletters say he routinely played the organ every two weeks, so it was not ad hoc. He was their organist.” Guardian Australia has seen those newsletters.
The church did not respond to questions from Guardian Australia about the piece of paper Aitchison was reportedly asked to sign.
Asked whether Aitchison had been routinely playing the organ, a church spokeswoman said: “Thank you for raising the issue about the frequency of the individual in question’s role as an organist. Upon further investigation, this appears to be correct.”
Georgie Burg with her husband Phil, who attended her meeting with Pitt Street church officials. Photograph: Georgie Burg
Burg was a talented violinist when Aitchison began sexually abusing her. The first assault took place at All Saints Anglican church in Ainslie, Canberra, after she had finished violin practice. He went on to abuse and rape her multiple times over the years, including at the church and in her mother’s home.
Three decades later she said she was still scared of Aitchison and angered by those who protected him, and thought about his other victims “every single day”. Despite being told by many musicians she had the potential to be a professional violinist, she no longer plays the instrument as it reminds her of the abuse.
“We were the kids on the other end of the abuse fighting for our lives,” she told Guardian Australia.
“I was sure he was going to kill me, it was that violent. He was a sadistic rapist. This is a bloke who was incredibly dangerous, he is up there with the worst.
“The support the Uniting church were giving him … it’s horrific.”
Former Church Farm School Teacher Charged
with Sexual Abuse of a Minor in PA
EXTON, PA — The Chester County District Attorney’s Office and West Whiteland Township Police Department announced the arrest of Marc V. Spera for multiple counts of statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and related offenses. The defendant worked as a teacher at the Church Farm School in Exton, where he also lived on campus, from 1995-2010.
The defendant also worked as a teacher at the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge from 1993-1995, the Robinson School in Puerto Rico from 2010-2012, the Hampshire Country School in New Hampshire from 2013-2015, the Squaw Valley Academy in California from 2015-2016, and the Admiral Farragut Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida. The defendant volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America from 1980-present all over the country.
District Attorney Deb Ryan stated, “Our office will continue to root out all child predators until this community is safe. When anyone, especially a teacher who is in a position of authority and trust, abuses a child, we know the life-long damage that can occur. We will hold all of those accountable who perpetrate crimes against our vulnerable youth.”
The allegations from the criminal complaint are as follows:
The victim further said that the defendant would often give him back and body rubs in the defendant’s apartment. He later gave the victim a video game console, a headset and a video game. The victim reported that while they were apart during the summer months between 7th and 8th grade they would remain in constant contact through text messages, social media and while playing video games.
When the victim returned to school for 8th grade in the fall, the defendant was his computer teacher. He stated that over the course of his 8th-grade year at school the defendant performed oral sex on him and he touched the victim’s genitals with his hands on more than 10 occasions. Other sexual assaults happened throughout the school year in the defendant’s apartment.
The victim reported that the defendant gave him a better grade than he deserved in computer class and he was given a brand new computer system and other items by the defendant throughout the school year. During a recent conversation with the victim, the defendant admitted to engaging in sexual acts with the victim.
The defendant is 57 years old and resides in St. Petersburg, Florida.
“We thank the West Whiteland Township Police Department for all of their successful efforts in this case, as well as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the St. Petersburg Police Department for their assistance. We are also grateful for the full cooperation of the Church Farm School,” Ryan said.
The defendant was arrested on June 2, 2020, in St. Petersburg, Florida by agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by a warrant issued by Chester County. He waived extradition and will be brought back to Chester County on June 12, 2020 by the West Whiteland Township Police Department.
This case was investigated by the West Whiteland Township Police Department. It is assigned to Deputy District Attorney Erin O’Brien of the Child Abuse Unit. Anyone with information regarding this or other incidents involving the defendant should contact Detective Michael Buchmann at (484) 875-6022.
It took some considerable effort to find out that the Church Farm School is related to the Episcopal Church. They certainly don't brag about it and few of the personnel profiles mention any reference to church affiliation or experience.
Ex-Abilene youth pastor accused of sexual abuse
waives arraignment
by Jamie Burch KYXS
Jeffrey Forrest in handcuffs and shackles after his arrest in Zapopan, Mexico on May 8, 2020
(Courtesy: Investigator)
Jeffrey Winston Forrest was supposed to be in court tomorrow.
His next court appearance is now scheduled for June 25.
Forrest was arrested in Mexico last month after nearly four years on the run.
During the '90s, Forrest worked as a daycare worker at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church. He was also a youth minister at several other churches in Abilene.
Forrest was arrested in 2015 after four boys came forward and accused him of sexually assaulting them from ages 8 to 15.
His trial was scheduled for 2016 but he never showed up.
Forrest is charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, bail jumping, and failure to appear in court.
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