South Jersey Pastor Charged with Sexual Assault

By Matt Gray
South Jersey Times
April 16, 2015

http://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/index.ssf/2015/04/south_jersey_pastor_charged_with_sexual_assault.html

A Franklin Township pastor has been charged with sexually assaulting a teenager, township police reported.

James E. Simmons Jr., 64, is accused of assaulting the victim, now 21 years old, beginning when she was 17, according to a release issued by the police department.

The victim told police the alleged abuse continued for several years, authorities said.

Simmons, pastor at New Life in Christ Ministries in Malaga, turned himself in to police on Wednesday.

He was charged with several counts of second-degree sex assault, criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child.

Bail was set at $150,000 full cash.

Simmons posted bail at the police station and was released, according to Franklin Township Police Chief Mike Rock.

Attempts to contact church representatives were unsuccessful Thursday afternoon.

Rock confirmed that the alleged assaults did not occur at the church.