Church Mentor from Bellmawr Accused in Sex Assault of Boy

By Sean McCullen
The Patch
June 11, 2012

http://gloucestertownship.patch.com/articles/church-mentor-from-bellmawr-accused-in-sex-assault-of-boy


Authorities are concerned there may have been more instances of abuse involving the mentor at Barrington's Grace Bible Church.

A Bellmawr man was arrested Saturday and charged with sexually abusing a juvenile boy he met while serving as a "youth mentor" at a Barrington church, authorities announced on Sunday.

Samuel Bangs, 23, has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact and single counts of sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

Authorities noted the Bangs was no longer a mentor to the victim at the time the alleged sexual assaults occurred.

The victim was identified in a statement issued Sunday by the Camden County Prosecutor's Office as a juvenile male under the age of 16. He came forward to authorities with the allegations of sexual abuse on Friday.

The alleged illegal sexual encounters occurred on several occasions, including in public parks, over the past two months, according to Camden County Prosecutor Warren W. Faulk, Barrington Police Chief Joseph Eisenhardt and Camden County Parks Police Chief Robert Colangelo, who jointly announced the charges against Bangs.

Authorities are only aware of the one victim in connection with Bangs at this time, but the fact the Bellmawr man worked with children is a matter of concern.

Camden County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Jason Laughlin urged anyone aware of other inappropriate interactions between Bangs and juveniles to contact Camden County Prosecutor's Office Investigator Anthony Roccia at 856-225-8400