Posted on 03/13/2002 5:43:18 AM PST by areafiftyone
An Allapattah Baptist minister who once led an anti-crime march was arrested Monday night after police found him inside a parked van, naked, having sex with a 17-year-old boy.
Misael Castillo, 41, was charged with having unlawful sexual acts with a minor. The longtime pastor of Jerusalem Baptist Church, Castillo -- married with two children -- was released on $15,000 bond Tuesday morning.
''He was leading a double life,'' said Miami police Lt. William Schwartz. ``Family and church on one side, secret sexual liaisons on the other.''
The sex was consensual, police said. Castillo met the youth in an Internet chat room.
Castillo did not return calls to his church and home. He has no statewide criminal record.
It was the second time in a week that a South Florida clergyman has been accused of having sexual contact with an underage boy. Last week, the Catholic bishop of the Palm Beach diocese admitted he fondled a teenage seminarian 25 years ago.
No charges have been filed in that case.
Castillo's arrest came after residents noticed a white van parked at about 10 p.m. at the side of Southwest 24th Avenue, just west of South Dixie Highway. The van was sitting under the Metrorail tracks.
''It was there for about an hour,'' said Jorge Ponce, 16, who lives in a nearby apartment. ``It was all dark in there.''
''It looked really suspicious,'' added another resident who would not give her name. ``I got kind of scared.''
Eventually someone called police. Officers pulled up and found Castillo and the teenager -- both naked -- inside the van.
''There were about three police cars and an old guy and a young guy,'' said Adriana Rodriguez, 45, who lives in the neighborhood. ``The young guy had his hands [behind his back]; the old guy had them raised up in the air.''
Police took Castillo back to headquarters. He confessed he had sex with the youth Monday night and on a previous occasion, police said.
The revelation shocked those who know Castillo.
''He's been a faithful pastor and his service has been noteworthy,'' said Rev. David Cleeland, executive director of the Miami Baptist Association, a 280-church organization to which Castillo's church belonged.
At Jerusalem Baptist Church -- a flat, lemon-colored building in the 2400 block of Northwest 23rd Street -- members appeared grim. Those who stopped by on Tuesday hurried inside without answering a reporter's questions.
One person who did speak was 10-year-old George Fletes. His mother works at the flower shop across the street from the church.
Fletes said the pastor invited him to a Friday night service two weeks ago.
''He was nice,'' George said. ``It was during that time when it was really cold. I went in there. Everything was normal.''
Not any longer.
According to Florida State Statute 794.05, anyone who is 24 or older and has sex with someone 16 or 17 -- even consensually -- has committed a second-degree felony. It is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The youth Castillo was found with is two months shy of his 18th birthday.
Castillo lives at 1858 NW 26th St., in a neighborhood of modest one-story homes. Neighbors there praised the man who organized Allapattah's first walk against crime five years ago.
''I feel like it's [happening] to my father,'' said Sonia Rivera. ``He's so nice. He always invited me and my family to go to church.''
''He's peaceful -- you wouldn't expect something like that,'' added Jesse Gutierrez, 18. ``When our house got broken into, he called the cops and helped us out.
``He was like the neighborhood watch.''
(in your opinion)...
you also need to consider - that "sort" of people have come to some understanding as to why it was established by the denom in the first place - I want "queers" (as you so lovingly call them) in seminary as much as you do - it blasphemes the faith. Was celibacy instituted to accomplish the same goal? - I think not - and Im confident you know that.
In spite of them and their malfeasance, nothing will be the demise of the Catholic Church.
lets hope so brother
blessings to you
blessings to you also,
AB
Free Methodism and Catholicism are in complete agreement here. You might get a different response from a United Meth or Presbyterian though
that women can be ordained priests,
like my wife of 16 years? - the women who had a direct hand in my growth (spiritually)
that Christianity precludes the use of force in self defense, that the Word of God (the Bible) should be rewritten so as not to offend anyone.
I am assuming you are speaking of the "new" NIV - it troubles me as well - You get points for not outright bashing it - I personally would have
(note - I still use a Catholic Bible in addition to the NIV & KJV 1611)
It is my objective observation that most Catholic Christians I have met who advocate a married priesthood in the Roman Rite also hold some or all of the "delusions" I just listed.
count me among the "women priest" (we call her Pastor) delusional ;)
We also disagree on a married Priesthood - sorry, that edict was not for "holy" reasons - you know that
To allow (generally) a married priesthood in the Roman Rite now would rightly be seen as caving in to their demands,
That seems at face value a prideful response
and just cause more trouble. Worse, it would do nothing to clean up the problems in some of the diocesan vocations offices and chanceries.
again - your opinion - I personally think it would assist is addressing the issue. An interesting side note, Free Methodism has not had a Pastoral moral failure in three years. I cite married Pastors as contributory.
Rochester, by the way, is one of the places that needs a serious cleanup.
we agree again
That is also a matter of objective observation, not merely opinion. -
hhhmmmph - we seem more alike than different - group hug
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