Pastor and Step-Dad Raped Teen Girl For A Year, and Threatened Her With Voodoo

The step-father of a South Florida teen girl was arrested Saturday after police say he sexually assaulted his 13-year-old step-daughter for a year.

The arrest of Avo Roker was made about a week after 40-year-old “Pastor” Ricardo Strachan was placed behind bars for molesting the same girl. Police say Roker introduced Strachan to the girl at church and that the duo threatened to kill her and conduct voodoo rituals on her family if she told anybody.

“Pastor” Ricardo’s photo on his Go Fund Me Page

Both men were booked into Broward County Jail. Avo Roker was held without bond and Ricardo Strachan, who used to preach at The Prophetic Worshippers International Church, was charged with one count of lewd and lascivious battery on a minor between the ages of 12 and 16 years old and held on a $100,000 bond. According to a police report, Strachen had sex with the girl more than 36 times either in the parking lot of a high school during school hours or at a nearby motel between January to December of 2016.

Strachen is also accused of forcing the teen to steal clothes from her family– items that would ultimately be used in voodoo rituals if she went to the authorities, the report said, noting that he told the girl his wife was an armed police officer.

Documents outlining Roker’s arrest were not immediately available Sunday, Lauderhill police told the Miami Herald. However police say Roker had sex with his step-daughter more than 65 times from December 2015 to December 2016.

Jail records show he’s being held on no bond while Strachen is being held on $100,000 bond.

Pastor Faces 142 Charges in Child Sex Crimes

FAYETTEVILLE, NC (WTVD) —

A former pastor is charged in the rapes of four children during the course of 13 years. Glenn Tyrone Collins turned himself into authorities Monday after police issued a warrant for his arrest.

Collins faces 142 charges.

• 12 counts of 1st Degree Rape
• 5 counts of 1st Degree Sexual Offense
• 5 counts of 2nd Degree Rape
• 3 counts of 2nd Degree Sexual Offense
• 9 counts of Statutory Rape
• 6 counts of Statutory Sexual Offense
• 32 counts of Indecent Liberties with a Child
• 25 counts of Child Sex – Sexual Activity
• 39 counts of Sexual Activity by a Parent
• 2 counts of Crimes Against Nature
• 2 counts of Sexual Battery
• 1 count of Attempted 2nd Degree Sexual Offense
• 1 count of Attempted Crimes Against Nature

According to detectives, Collins raped four children, including one of his neighbors, repeatedly between 1996 and 2009.

Police finally began working the case after one of the victims came forward after what was described as years of emotional torture.

“This person was going through emotional trauma when they told the mother, so a lot of times none of us know that folks are being violated, particularly folks they hold in high esteem,” said Police Capt. Darry Whitaker. Collins made his first court appearance Tuesday afternoon where District Attorney Billy West requested that he remain in jail without bond.

“It’s very unfortunate and troubling these are some of the most difficult and disturbing cases,” West said. “Our children are vulnerable and they need to be protected and when allegations like this come forward it’s particularly troubling.”
In court, Collins pleaded with a judge for his release and explained to the judge that he was “a pillar in the community” and that he wasn’t “guilty of this stuff.”

But Fayetteville Police say they have plenty of evidence that proves otherwise.

“We’ll have 142 charges and we were able to collect enough data, and we feel confident about what we have,” said Capt. Whitaker.

Collins is being held at the Cumberland County Jail on a $3.75 million secured bond.

Anyone who has information related to these or other crimes involving this offender is asked to please contact Detective T. Huggins, who is the lead detective in this investigation at (910) 303-5470 or Sergeant P. Smith at (910) 433-1851.

Metro East Priest Arrested in Child Porn Case After Cyber Tip to Police

In MASCOUTAH,  Illinois,  A Metro East Catholic priest was charged Tuesday with 16 felony child porn charges, along with a count of meth possession.

 The Rev. Gerald Hechenberger, an associate pastor at several Metro East parishes, was charged with possession and dissemination of child porn images and possession of meth.The Rev. Gerald Hechenberger, an associate pastor at several Metro East parishes, was charged with possession and dissemination of child porn images and possession of meth.

The Rev. Gerald R. Hechenberger is an associate pastor of Holy Childhood of Jesus Parish in Mascoutah, St. Pancratius Parish in Fayetteville and St. Liborius Parish in St. Libory.

Authorities got an online tip about Hechenberger and launched an investigation that included search warrants, online investigation and surveillance. A search warrant was served Monday morning at the Holy Childhood rectory. Several electronic devices were seized and Hechenberger was arrested.

On Tuesday January 9, 2018, Hechenberger was charged with eight counts of dissemination of child pornography, eight counts of possession of child pornography and one count of possession of methamphetamine.

It is unknown if Hechenberger produced any of the images himself, or if he has had any inappropriate contact with children directly, authorities said. Belleville police said parents or guardians to speak to their children if they had any contact with Hechenberger and immediately report any suspicious conduct.

Police said Hechenberger is the only person under investigation at Holy Childhood.

 

He was found in possession of several child porn images and videos that depict children younger than 13, police said. Hechenberger also had less than five grams of meth.

The Diocese of Belleville responded to Hechenberger’s arrest in a statement Monday. Monsignor John Myler, the media contact for the diocese, emailed the diocese’s statement to the Post-Dispatch but was not immediately available after charges were filed Tuesday afternoon.

“This is a very serious matter for Father Hechenberger,” the statement from Monday said. “At this point, the Diocese has no reason to believe that any parishioners are affected by this matter. The Diocese is awaiting an update on information from the civil authorities, and has assured them of the Diocese’s full cooperation. Beyond requesting your prayers for Father Hechenberger, the Diocese will make no further comment at this time.”

The Post-Dispatch reported in 2011 that Hechenberger abruptly took a leave of absence as priest at St. John the Baptist parish in Smithton. A letter circulated by the Belleville diocese at the time said he was taking the leave to address “very serious personal, pastoral and legal challenges.”The letter, sent to priests and deacons, didn’t directly state the source of the challenges. Myler could not be reached Tuesday to clarify what those challenges were or how they were resolved.

~ Reported By 

Erin Heffernan • 314-340-8145

@erinheff on Twitter

eheffernan@post-dispatch.com

This article originally ran on stltoday.com.