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Minister charged in rape of
girl
2001-12-01 The Natchez Democrat
MEADVILLE
- A Meadville minister was arrested Friday for an alleged
sexual offense with a 9-year-old girl.
Derwin Rogers, 43,
of 86 Main St., Meadville, was being held without bond Friday
on charge of statutory rape of a female younger than 12 years
old, said Franklin County Sheriff James Newman.
Rogers, the pastor of Emmanuel Full Gospel Church in
Meadville, is believed to have assaulted the girl at a house
near the church that belonged to a church member, Newman said.
Franklin County officials including the Department of
Human Services had been investigating the case for several
days prior to Friday's arrest.
"Evidence was there to
make an arrest today (Friday) I thought," Newman said.
The father of the victim also confronted the pastor
about the allegations Friday, Newman said.
The alleged
crime took place several months ago but just recently came to
the attention of family and law enforcement.
"(She)
broke down and told her father two or three days ago," Newman
said.
According to former church members and friends
of the father, the child told her father of the events last
week. At that same time, they said, she made the director and
assistant director of the day care facility aware of the
accusations.
"They wouldn't do anything about it,"
Monica Smith of Natchez said. Smith is a former member who
said she left the church over concerns about Rogers.
Loretta Stander, assistant director of the day care,
confirmed that she had been notified of the allegations.
"There was no proof of what was being said," Stander
said. She directed all other questions to Regina Poole,
director of the day care. Poole could not be reached for
comment.
Willie Earl Winston, a former deacon at the
church and spokesperson for the girl's father, said the father
left the girl at daycare and went to Natchez working.
"He was gone for a little over two hours. She didn't
tell him what had happened for some time," Winston said.
According to Winston, the girl claims that Rogers took
her to a house next to the church and told her, "if someone
comes, then run and hide out back."
Rogers is also
being charged with sexual battery charges filed by a
19-year-old former employee at the day care. Rogers pleaded
not guilty to the charges last week in Franklin County.
An attorney for Rogers could not be reached. When
calls were made to Emmanuel Full Gospel Church Friday night,
the person answering the phone said the church had no
comment.
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