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  Former Pastor Charged with Assault of Teens

Leesburg Today
June 24, 2009

http://www.leesburg2day.com/articles/2009/06/24/news/fp143%20charge062409.txt



A former Ashburn area pastor has been charged for having what authorities are calling "inappropriate contact" with three Loudoun teenagers.

James L. Swanson, 55, of Leesburg, has been charged with two counts of assault and battery and taking indecent liberties with a minor while in a custodial or supervisory position. The alleged incidents occurred while Swanson was a pastor at the Greater Zion Church in Ashburn.

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office investigation into Swanson and the allegations has been ongoing for two months and has led to the identification of three alleged victims. Investigators with the sheriff's office received two independent reports of a 14-year-old female and a 15-year-old female, both Ashburn residents, having inappropriate contact with Swanson. According to authorities, one of the alleged incidents occurred in February 2009 and the other April 14, 2009. The assault and battery charges stem from those two incidents.

While investigating the first two allegations, the sheriff's office discovered another victim of an incident that occurred in July 2007. In that alleged incident, Swanson took a then 14-year-old female from Sterling to Herndon where he had inappropriate contact with her as well. Herndon police have charged Swanson with taking indecent liberties with the minor.

Loudoun investigators took Swanson into custody Tuesday and he remains held at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center without bond.

Anyone with information about the alleged incidents or who might know of other possible victims is asked to contact Investigator W. Promisel of the sheriff's office Criminal Investigations Division at 703-777-0475.

 
 

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