OREGON
Oregonian
By Rick Bella | The Oregonian/OregonLive
on January 14, 2015
In February, a Happy Valley pastor goes to trial in a criminal case more than 18 years in the making.
That’s how long seven women have lived in frustration and anger that the pastor wasn’t charged after they told police that he sexually abused them in the 1990s.
But now, prosecutors have taken a second look at the complaints. And based on new allegations by one of the women, they are bringing felony sexual-abuse charges against Mike Sperou, charismatic pastor of a small, under-the-radar church community that lives and worships together in a network of rented homes in Portland and Happy Valley.
The seven women – who ranged in age from 11 to 16 at the time of the alleged abuse – and other former church members said Sperou claims deep emotional scars from childhood traumas and the Vietnam War. They said the church, originally called the Southeast Bible Church, seemed to start with good intentions. But they said the church evolved into a cult-like organization that dissolved family bonds as Sperou sank into heavy drinking, drug use, adultery and sexual abuse of children.
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