|
Pastor accused of sexually assaulting teen wants bond reduced
By Dan Campana
The leader of a North Aurora church will ask the judge overseeing his sex assault case to reduce his bail at a hearing later this month. Ralphael Robinson, 39, who is listed with an Aurora address, appeared in Kane County court Thursday for a hearing at which he was scheduled to be arraigned on charges of criminal sex assault, criminal sex abuse, attempted aggravated criminal sexual abuse and violation of sex offender registry rules. During the appearance, Robinson's attorney requested Judge Linda Abrahamson set a hearing for a bond reduction motion. Robinson remains in Kane County Jail on $107,500 bail, with arraignment and the bond issue scheduled for Sept. 30. Robinson faces a three-count indictment alleging he "begged" to have sex with a teen girl while at Kingdom Church in April. Authorities have said Robinson fondled and inappropriately touched the teen, who later confronted him about the incident April 18 at the church on South Lincolnway Street. Robinson, who is a registered sex offender following a 2004 sex abuse conviction in Cook County, is accused of violating registry rules after Aurora police said he gave false information, including his employment status. He pleaded guilty to a similar charge in 2004 and received probation. Robinson has been touted as Kingdom Church's "senior leader" on the Ralphael Robinson Ministries website. The church website has been down since shortly after Robinson's arrest. Access to the site has been restricted by its web host because of "non-payment," according to a notice on the home page, which also states "we have tried every way possible to settle the balance without success."
|
.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.