Superintendent Made Aware Pastor Failed to Report Abuse

By Francis Scarcella
Daily Item
September 8, 2016

http://www.dailyitem.com/news/local_news/superintendent-made-aware-pastor-failed-to-report-abuse/article_cdb82323-eb57-5f5b-b0f9-0ada24cd2811.html

The superintendent of the Penn Jersey District of the Wesleyan Church said he was made aware one of the church’s pastors was charged with failing to report alleged sexual abuse after reports began to surface Tuesday.

Gregory Clendaniel, pastor of the Augustaville Wesleyan Church, in Paxinos, was charged by Stonington state troopers Tuesday with failing to report an alleged indecent assault that occurred on July 13 after troopers say Seth Sparrer, 22, of Middleburg, fondled a 14-year-old girl on a trip home from a Valley amusement park, according to court documents.

Sparrer was also charged in the alleged incident, according to troopers.

District Superintendent Dr. Karl D. Eastlack said on Wednesday he did not receive a message seeking his comments to the charges and that a wrong number may have been used by the media when trying to contact him Tuesday.

Eastlack is in charge of the Penn Jersey District of the Wesleyan Church which comprises 70 churches from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, according to the Penn Jersey District website.

“I spoke with the pastor after the story began to surface and he did not know he was charged with any crimes,” Eastlack said Wednesday. “The District will respond once we get more information. We want to be clear: We care about the children that are in the church’s care.”

Troopers became aware of a field trip on Aug. 8 after the mother of the victim complained about the incident, according to court documents.

Troopers allege Sparrer was telling the girl he liked her and he wanted them to be boyfriend and girlfriend, troopers report. During the ride home from the park, Sparrer sat in the back of a van and and when the lights went out he held the girl’s hand and touched her leg, troopers said. The van stopped for gas and when the lights came back on Sparrer stopped holding her hand, but resumed when the van began moving and the lights went back out.

Sparrer touched the girl’s side and breast over her clothing, troopers said.

On July 14, Sparrer told the group leader what had happened and Clendaniel was informed on July 17, according to police.

Clendaniel and the group leader conducted interviews and investigated the incident rather than report it to law enforcement or the parents of the girl, troopers said. Clendaniel reported the incident to the church elders and church attorney and was told to report the incident to police but Clendaniel did not make the report, troopers said.

The teen victim then became upset by the events and told her mother, who then reported to troopers on Aug. 8, court documents said.

According to police, Sparrer’s mother was mad at the church for putting her son in the position of being a chaperone even though Sparrer has his clearances, troopers said.

Troopers said Clendaniel is a pastor and is identified as a mandated reporter.

Clendaniel told troopers he did report the incident to his superintendent of churches and the church attorney and they did advise him to report the incident to law enforcement, according to court documents.

Clendaniel told troopers he knew about the incident since July 17 and he regrets not calling police and he knows he “messed up,” according to court documents.

Clendaniel is charged with a misdemeanor failure to report and Sparrer is charged with misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors and indecent assault.

Clendaniel and Sparrer will face arraignment in front of Shamokin District Judge John Gembic.