A 20 year old North Carolina youth minister allegedly committed what police
are describing as a ‘lεwd act’ with a 13 year old.
According to WNCT 9, warrants indicate that Shyheim Richardson is facing indεcent liberties charges.
Richardson had been serving as the youth minister at Chosen Ministries.
Richardson, who is also a gospel recording artist, was arrested on Monday by the New Bern Police Department.
The Sun Journal reports that Richardson was picked up on a December 31 warrant alleging that he “committed a lεwd and lαscivious act with a 13-year-old on Nov. 1, 2014.”
He is currently being held at Craven County Jail on $100,000 bond, but additional charges are apparently forthcoming.
Richardson is new to North Carolina, only recently moving there from New York.
His Facabook page describes him as a Christian singer who has been involved in “The Worship Experience Gospel Explosion” in New Bern.
“According to a flier on a Facebook fan page devoted to Richardson, he is listed as a minister for Teens.N.Transition Youth Ministry, where teens nationwide can participate in prayer conference calls. The number listed on the website appears to be based out of Council Bluffs, Iowa,” the Sun Journal reports.
This is certainly not the first time that a youth minister has been accused of committed lεwd acts with children, neither is it the first accusation made against a pastor.
In Florida, Lake Co. Youth Pastor Kenneth Hagins was accused of mοlesting children at a daycare and adults at group homes. This was one of the most extensive investigations since at least 40 people were interviewed after the allegations emerged.
