Victims of Alleged Abuse Come Forward after Baptist Pastors Arrest, Associated Baptist Press, March 5, 2010

Victims of Alleged Abuse Come Forward after Baptist Pastor's Arrest

Associated Baptist Press
March 5, 2010

http://www.abpnews.com/content/view/4910/53/

Authorities say Hezekiah Stallworth has preached in the Palestine, Texas, area for more than 30 years, most recently as pastor of a Southern Baptist congregation in Elkhart, Texas.

PALESTINE, Texas (ABP) -- A Texas sheriff says more alleged victims of a Baptist preacher behind bars on a felony charge of indecency with a child are coming forward.

Hezekiah Stallworth, 74, of Palestine, Texas, was arrested Feb. 26 after allegedly fondling a 7-year-old girl following services Feb. 21 at Oak Grove Baptist Church in Elkhart, Texas.

Police say Stallworth, who has preached in the area for more than 30 years -- most recently at the 97-year-old congregation affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and at Beulah Baptist Church in Palestine, Texas -- lured the child into his office by offering her candy.

Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor told local media that since the arrest two additional persons -- both adult females -- made contact with his office and alleged they were sexually abused by Stallworth as children. According to the Tyler Telegraph, a 9-year-old has also come forward and is expected to be interviewed by a forensic counselor in a few days.

"I figured once the article came out and the news broke we would get more victims, and unfortunately we are," Taylor said in an interview on KYYK radio in Palestine.

Stallworth is being held on $50,000 bond. The charge against him carries a penalty of from two to 20 years in prison.

The sheriff said leaders of Oak Grove Baptist Church terminated Stallworth immediately upon his arrest. Another Texas Baptist congregation, meanwhile, appears to be standing by a youth pastor indicted on 10 felony counts involving a 15-year-old girl.

Members of Second Baptist Church in Odessa, Texas, learned recently that Robert John Weber, 44, was indicted in December on charges of having at least three sexual encounters with a girl he was counseling at the church.

Pastor Randy Duckett said in a statement to the Odessa American that Weber, who is out of jail on $50,000 bond, was reassigned to another ministry in the church but declined to comment further.

Church members interviewed by the newspaper expressed disbelief over the charges and pledged to support Weber through the legal process. One mother described him as "an excellent youth pastor" who has counseled her 13-year-old son for the past two years.

Weber is scheduled to stand trial in April. Prosecutors said they were awaiting the results of DNA testing that could bolster their case before offering a plea bargain.

The mother of the alleged victim told the Odessa American that her daughter has had a hard time finding another church since she stopped attending Second Baptist.