Former Salisbury Church Employee Sentenced to 15 Years for Child Sex Abuse
Sean Curtis Apr 18, 2025 Updated Apr 18, 2025
SALISBURY, MD - A Salisbury man convicted of child sex abuse and assault has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars.
Parker was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor, three counts of Third-Degree Sexual Offense, four counts of Fourth-Degree Sexual Offense, and four counts of Second-Degree Assault.
On April 17, 2025, a Wicomico County Circuit Court Judge sentenced Parker to 15 years of incarceration. If released from prison, Parker will be subject to supervised probation for 3 years and be registered as a sexual offender for life.
“The wounds left by this abuse are felt by this survivor to this day,” State’s Attorney Jamie Dykes said. “The Court’s sentence at the top of this defendant’s sentencing guidelines sends a message that sexual abuse is not tolerated in Wicomico County. I hope that this resolution brings much-deserved peace to the survivor.”
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Two more pedos using New Dimensions Church as their candy store.
SALISBURY, MD - The Wicomico Child Advocacy Center has announced the arrest of three men on various charges including rape, sexual abuse of a minor, indecent exposure, and others following an investigation by the Advocacy Center.
According to the Child Advocacy Center, the men were all affiliated with a local church and had access to children in that capacity.
As of April 15th, one suspect now faces 100 charges according to court records obtained by WBOC.
The Child Advocacy Center says it began an investigation in November of 2023 into Jessie Lee Scott, and Major Leslie Purnell Sr. (left to right above) in regards to the sexual abuse of a child. The Center says their investigation found Scott and Purnell sexually abused the child victim years prior.
On February 26th, 2024, a Wicomico County Grand Jury indicted both men on the following charges:
Rape 1st and 2nd degree, sexual abuse of a minor, multiple sexual offenses, sexual solicitation of a minor, indecent exposure and assault.
Both Purnell and Scott face over twenty charges each, according to court records.
One dimension missing from this church seems to be discernment. Let's hope and pray that they are doing better these days.
Further investigation, according to the Advocacy Center, revealed another victim of sexual abuse. Investigators say the victim identified Alonzo Leon Parker Jr. as the abuser. Parker was arrested on April 4th and charged with the following:
Child abuse: custodian, multiple counts of 3rd degree sexual offense, multiple counts of 4th degree sexual offense, multiple counts of 2nd degree assault, perverted practice, and sodomy.
According to court documents acquired by WBOC, the victim described Parker to investigators as a "church administrator" and "second in command."
Charging documents also describe a witness who told investigators she was made aware of the abuse when the victim was 15-16 years old.
According to court documents, on April 15th, a criminal indictment was issued against Parker on 100 charges including sex offenses, child abuse, and assault.
Multiple victims have already been identified, according to Wicomico County State's Attorney Jamie Dykes. However, she fears there may be more.
"In my experience there always are," said Dykes. "So we are looking to identify anyone who has been a victim."
The Wicomico Child Advocacy Center says all three were affiliated with New Dimension Family Ministries on Jersey Road in Salisbury and routinely had access to minors there.
Because this appears to be a case of institutional abuse, Dykes said they are also looking for more suspects.
"We are always looking for the truth and if the truth leads us to more suspects, more defendants, we're looking for that too," said Dykes.
We did speak with a parent of one of the victims on Tuesday. That parent, along with Dykes, urge anyone else who was abused to come forward.
"I've never heard a victim say that they regret making the disclosure, they regret facing their offender," said Dykes. "I would encourage people, it's cathartic to relieve themselves of that burden, they don't stand alone."
Scott and Purnell are being held at the Wicomico Detention Center while Parker was released after posting a $25,000 bond, according to the Advocacy Center.
On April 17th, another arrest warrant was issued for Parker, according to court documents. He was again arrested on April 18th on the 100 charges against him including 49 felony charges. His case, initially filed in District Court, will now be heard in Circuit Court according to Court records.
Anyone with possible further information on this investigation is asked to contact the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office at 410-548-4898.
State politicians who continue to argue against removing limitations for prosecuting child sex abuse cases should take note. This brave man could not bring himself to talk about his child sexual abuse until he was 65. I was in my 50s when I first spoke out. There should be no limitations whatsoever.
Survivor of notorious New Orleans child sex abuser priest speaks out for first time
Ramon Antonio Vargas and David Hammer of WWL Louisiana in New Orleans
The clergy abuse survivor who helped prosecutors secure the only conviction against a notorious child rapist and retired Roman Catholic priest in New Orleans is still hoping that authorities file criminal charges against his former high school principal and everyone else who enabled the clergyman.
“Everybody that had any part … needs to be held accountable. Period – period,” Neil Duhon, whose rapist was Lawrence Hecker, said in an interview with WWL Louisiana and the Guardian, the first and only time he’s ever revealed his identity to the public.
Referring to the Catholic archdiocese of New Orleans, the institution that employed and protected Hecker for decades and kept doing so even after the cleric admitted he had preyed sexually on minors throughout his career, Duhon added: “I hope they get some type of criminal charge.
“You know, they are responsible for all of this.”
And Duhon, who is now 65 but was about 16 when Hecker raped him in 1975, had particularly harsh words for a judge who handled part of his ordeal. New Orleans criminal court judge Benedict Willard delayed Hecker’s trial date for more than a year before recusing himself on the day that jury selection for the case was to begin. Only by handing the matter over to another judge did Willard finally clear the way for Hecker to plead guilty in December – shortly before the priest died.
Duhon called Willard “a coward – a coward. That’s it.”
But, he will stand before a Higher Judge soon, and it won't likely be pretty.
The hours-long interview Duhon granted a pair of outlets whose reporting aided Hecker’s successful prosecution provided the most detailed account yet of the stand he took against one of the Catholic church’s most inveterate abusers. Hecker’s prosecution also showed how the clergy molestation crisis roiling the US church for decades was not yet over.
As Duhon told it, he was a freshman student at New Orleans’ St John Vianney High School – which catered to boys interested in joining the priesthood – when he met Hecker in 1973. The school, which has since closed, required students to essentially help local Catholic churches with their masses and other services. And Duhon was assigned to do that at a church adjacent to St John called St Theresa and colloquially known as Little Flower, where Hecker introduced himself to him.
Hecker left Little Flower – which has since closed, too – in about 1974. But during the summer of the following year, Duhon saw him again at one of the weekly pool parties that the Notre Dame seminary, an institution in New Orleans that educates and trains priests, would host for St John students.
According to Duhon, Hecker recognized him and asked if he was still working at Little Flower. Duhon said he was.
Days later, after finishing his mass-related duties at Little Flower, Duhon was exercising on a weight bench set up in a room attached to the church bell tower. Hecker appeared unannounced, offered to give him pointers that could help Duhon earn a spot on a wrestling team being started at St John, and eventually put him in a headlock.
Please continue reading this somewhat lengthy story on The Guardian at:
‘Why you fighting, Neil?’
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