Providence Pastor Accused of Molestation

By Crystal Bui
NBC 10
March 8, 2017

http://turnto10.com/news/local/providence-pastor-accused-of-molsetation

A Providence church leader is accused of molesting a boy for several years.

Providence police said Wednesday that a 21-year-old man came forward last week, claiming Roy Bolden molested him while Bolden was a leader of the Legions of Christ Ministries in Providence.

Police said the Providence man accused Bolden, 33, of molesting him when he was 12 years old and didn't stop until he was an adult.

“The last incident was when he was 18-years-old,” said Providence Police Sgt. Philip Hartnett of the Special Victim’s Unit. “So he's been -- for the last three years -- he's just been sitting on this and finally he felt the need to come forward."

Detectives said they had a “lengthy interview” with Bolden and feel confident that the child molestation accusations are true.

"We had a lengthy interview with him,” Hartnett said. “And in that discourse, you can tell by the stress and anxiety that it was believable."

Police believe Bolden used his role as a leader of the church to get close to the boy during bible studies. Authorities said Bolden may have taken the boy back to his home, where the alleged sexual assault occurred.

They also said a witness came forward who was able to corroborate some of the man's statements. Police confirmed, after NBC 10 News asked, that the witness is also affiliated with the church, but declined specifics.

Police said they were trying to determine if Bolden molested anyone else. They plan on sitting down with other members of the church to gather more information

Bolden previously served as Providence Republican Town Committee Chairmen. In fact, NBC 10 interviewed Bolden at a GOP watch party two years ago.

Following the abuse allegations, Rhode Island Democratic Party Chairman Joseph M. McNamara called on Rhode Island Republican Party Chairman Brandon Bell to officially disassociate both himself and the Republican Party from Bolden.

“These are troubling and disgusting allegations, made even more reprehensible because Mr. Bolden appears to have used his position as a leader in a local church to perpetrate these crimes,” McNamara said in the statement. “Our state’s Republican Party should not condone this behavior by allowing Mr. Bolden to remain in a leadership position. Mr. Bell and his Republican colleagues must do a better job of vetting their leadership: I call on him to immediately remove Mr. Bolden.”

The Rhode Island Republican Party responded in a statement from Bell.

“Roy Bolden was elected Chairman for a 4-year term by the Providence Republican City Committee in 2015,” Bell said. “While Mr. Bolden is entitled to his presumption of innocence, he has been removed as Chairman and the acting Chairman will be the First Vice Chair of the Committee per their by-laws pending a meeting of their committee in the next couple weeks.”

Biographical information posted on the Rhode Island Legions of Christ Ministries notes that “Apostle Roy Bolden has witnessed and been a part of many moves of God for over seven years. He has been active in encouraging and helping the youth in Providence, RI and the surrounding cities, as well as speaking in leadership meetings, university meetings, political events and conferences.”