Judge Increases Bond on Alabama Pastor Accused of Raping Young Family Member

By Erin Edgemon
AL.com
April 10, 2014

http://www.al.com/news/montgomery/index.ssf/2014/04/judge_increases_bond_on_alabam.html

William Best (DCSO)

The Alabama pastor accused of raping a young family member is now being held in the Dallas County Jail on $2 million bond.

Dallas County District Attorney Michael Jackson said he asked Judge Robert Armstrong III to increase William Best’s bond from $250,000 during today’s arraignment after “more details came out about the horrific nature of the crime.”

Best, 47, was arrested Tuesday and charged with incest, second-degree rape and second-degree sodomy of an underage family member.

Best served as pastor of Living Waters Worship Center in Valley Grande for three years. The church’s board of directors unanimously voted to fire Best following his arrest Tuesday, WSFA reported.

“He was a very well-known pastor here in Dallas County,” Jackson said.

Jackson said the sexual abuse began when the victim was 14 years old.

“Some of the acts occurred at the church and some of it occurred at the home,” he said. “It went on for several years.”

Attorney Vaughan Russell was appointed by Judge Armstrong to serve as Best’s attorney.

A preliminary hearing is set for May 20.

eedgemon@al.com