Local religious group in spotlight for horrific crimes against children

By Megan Cruz
KOAT
August 22, 2017

http://www.koat.com/article/nm-religious-group-in-spotlight-for-horrific-crimes-against-children/12040259

CIBOLA COUNTY, N.M. —

The leader and three members of a religious group based in Cibola County were arrested over the weekend for what investigators called horrific crimes against children.

Charges include over 100 counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor and child abuse.

The Cibola County Sheriff's Office says deputies arrested Deborah Green, Peter Green, Joshua Green, and Stacey Miller of the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps Sunday morning. According to the group's website, Deborah and her husband James are the "Generals" and command their army to spread Christian ideals throughout the world. They're based out of Fence Lake in western Cibola County.

Sheriff Tony Mace says his office first started investigating the group last year when two members claimed they just escaped the commune. They told deputies Deborah and another member Stacey Miller allowed Miller's 12-year-old son to die of the flu in 2014.

"It was a horrible situation," said Cibola County Sheriff Tony Mace.

According to arrest warrants, no one took the boy to the hospital. Puss started leaking from his forehead and he lost his ability to speak and move his right side. He was buried on the property and no one reported his death.

Investigators asked Miller why she didn't get her son help. She told them "she wanted to trust God." Deputies arrested her from her home in Sierra County. She's now charged with child abuse.

The warrants say Deborah controlled the group's money and rarely wanted to pay for hospital visits, preaching that those who are sick "must repent to be healed." She's now charged with neglect resulting in the death of a child.

The Sheriff's Office also charged Deborah with sexual assault of a minor and child abuse. Investigators say in 2001, Deborah sexually assaulted her daughter's 5-year-old girl who they believe was smuggled in from Uganda as a baby with forged documents.

That girl spoke told investigators she was treated like a slave and routinely whipped. She also told them Deborah's son-in-law Peter Green also raped her until she was 9-years-old. That's when investigators say the Children, Youth, and Families Department finally removed her from the home. Peter is now charged with 100 counts of criminal sexual penetration of a minor.

'Knowing that these individuals are in custody now... it's a heavy weight off of my shoulders," said Mace.

A fourth person was also arrested Sunday. Joshua Green is charged with not reporting the birth of his son to the state. Investigators say none of the group's members ever got their kids birth certificates because Green allegedly wanted to hide the children from police and CYFD.

The Sheriff's Office says there's about 18 children still living in the commune, but they did not see any other evidence of abuse or neglect.