Posted on 11/23/2022 1:17:46 PM PST by Morgana
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A youth leader and soccer coach at several Charlotte-area organizations was charged with multiple child sex crimes on Friday, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Police charged 36-year-old Benjamin Damron with nine counts of indecent liberties with a child and one count of sexual battery. Officers said Damron used his position to take advantage of the victims and sexually assault them.
Three total victims have been identified, all teenage boys, according to police. WCNC Charlotte is sharing Damron's arrest photo in the event there are potentially other victims who have not yet come forward.
Investigators said that Damron met all three victims through church and assaulted them at public parks or inside his house. CMPD Lt. James Ivie said the abuse happened for as long as five years.
Damron has been a youth leader or coach in at least four local organizations, according to CMPD. Authorities identified those organizations as Elevation Church, Mercy Church, Southbrook Church and Soccer Shots. While police said all of those organizations were notified and are cooperating with the investigation, Spence Shelton, the lead pastor at Mercy Church, told WCNC Charlotte they are unfamiliar with Damron.
Shelton told WCNC Charlotte's Julia Kauffman Friday they learned of the investigation on the evening news. He said neither he nor his leadership team have spoken with authorities. He said to the best of their knowledge, Damron has never served in a leadership role at their church.
"We have no record of this individual engaged in any ministry in our church," Shelton said.
Shelton said they are still taking this arrest very seriously and will send a message out to their congregation in hopes that any and all potential victims come forward.
(Excerpt) Read more at wcnc.com ...
The problem is the guy was gay, not a “church leader”.
:deadpan: I am shocked.
But churches do need to start taking this kind of thing seriously.
Adults in youth activities should work on the buddy system. You should always have another adult present.
Keep your doors open when ever practical. If the office door being open is not practical then you should have a window so anyone passing by can see what is going on. Closed offices are an open invitation to abuse and to accusations of abuse.
“But churches do need to start taking this kind of thing seriously.”
Yes they do
I volunteer with Trail Life USA. Every single adult leader requires a pastoral recommendation, passes a criminal background check and takes a biannual youth protection training course.
They are never allowed to be alone with a boy. We also use buddy system of three
People are starting to come to realize that you need to take steps to protect the kids and yourself.
Churches are the last to take precautions because way too many of them operate in happy, goodwill land.
When our pastor rewrote the rules for the youth leaders he gave us all plaques that had Matthew 10:16 and told us to hang them where we could see them at all times.
Not behind the desk for others to read but where we could see them at all times.
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