Assaults and Sexual Crimes 09/24/2023

(September 21) Traveling Pastor Facing Child Rape Charges, Indicted In Murfreesboro | TN

A man who preaches across the country, including in Tennessee, is behind bars for alleged child rape.

Benjamin Garlick faces 12 charges, including five counts of aggravated rape of a child 8 years old or younger and five counts of aggravated sexual battery of a minor under the age of 13.

Garlick’s wife, Shaantal, was also charged with facilitation and aggravated child neglect.

Murfreesboro Police told News 2, as of Sept. 20, the matter is still under investigation, so it is unclear on the number of victims, how Garlick knew them, or when the alleged rapes occurred.

Garlick was indicted on Sept. 12 and remains in the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on a $750,000 bond.

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(September 21) Two Mississippi Ministers Arrested; Baylor Settles Sex-Abuse Lawsuit | South Mississippi

A worship leader in South Mississippi faces federal charges for distributing and producing child pornography.

Tyler Selby, 33, lives in Saucier, Miss., and has served as a music minister at Robinwood Baptist Church there as well as Emmanuel Baptist Church in Ocean Springs, Central Baptist Church in McComb, and Lemoyne Boulevard Baptist Church in Biloxi.

According to local media reports, Selby was sharing child pornography over the internet with someone in the UK who was posing as a minor.

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(September 21) Former Pastor Accuses Rolling Hills Church Of Sexual Abuse Coverup | Rolling Hills Estates, CA

A former pastor of Rolling Hills Covenant Church claims he was fired and defamed in retaliation for blowing the whistle on crimes committed by church officials, according to a lawsuit filed in August.

Matthew Klink, an attorney representing Rolling Hills Covenant Church, said the lawsuit and Burgoyne’s claims misrepresent how events took place and denied the allegations brought against the church.

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(September 20) Mission Pastor Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Church Members | McAllen, TX 

Mission pastor was arrested last week after multiple women came forward and accused him of touching them inappropriately during church service.

Jail records show that Gerardo Paolo Gonzalez, 50, was arrested was arrested Sept. 9 on four charges of indecent assault and two charges of sexual assault. His arrest was first reported by CBS4 and KVEO via ValleyCentral.com.

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(September 18) Florence Man Accused Of Sex Abuse At Lauderdale County Church | Florence, AL

A Florence man was arrested on a sex abuse charge at a Lauderdale County church.

Brian Dickinson, 21, is accused of going into a women's restroom at Chisholm Hills Church of Christ on Sunday.

Court records show Dickinson is accused of grabbing a juvenile as she came out of a stall. In those documents, Florence police said Dickinson admitted to grabbing a juvenile by the buttocks and trying to kiss the victim on the mouth.

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