On Friday, prosecutors filed further charges against a local clergyman, this time alleging that he engaged in sexual misconduct with minors while working as a youth pastor. Although he faces over a dozen counts, Bobby Price was released from jail on bond on Friday.
Glenn Counts, a veteran crime reporter, went into the case and discovered the suspect’s brother had been instrumental in keeping him in the church. Bobby Price was arrested by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police early on a Friday morning for alleged sexual abuse of children that occurred in the early 2000s.
The arrest of Bobby Price on Friday sent shockwaves across Camino Church. Rusty Price’s brother Rusty is the senior pastor. On Friday afternoon, the church held a press conference to address the media’s curiosity over his decision to recruit his brother.
The tweet below verifies the news:
Local pastor accused of sex crimes against children https://t.co/s6OcWaSPrw
— Kasey 🌊🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️#blm #GLBT rights🌊 (@DogStarGirl) August 5, 2023
“This is a tragedy. This is a sad day. It’s hard for our organization. It’s hard for our staff.” said Rusty Price. It wasn’t the first time he’d had to deal with his brother’s run-ins with the law. Former Kingsway Church in Concord pastor Bobby Price pleaded guilty to child sex abuse charges in 2014.
“This is not a case of some big religious organization trying to cover up a bunch of things,” Rusty Price said. Camino has an assistant pastor named Bobby Price, according to CMPD. According to Rusty Price, he has not committed any new crimes, and his current position has not caused any harm to anyone.
“I’m going to stand here and speak from pure emotion,” Rusty Price said. “I’m very confident that there aren’t.” Dr. Charles Kats, a criminologist at ASU, has researched sexual offenders on record. “It’s just high risk and it’s an unnecessary risk,” Kats said. Appointing one as pastor, he added, was a bad idea.
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“That information can be imparted to young people that can be manipulated just like it can be with a teacher or a doctor where we are asking the young person to have faith and trust in the person who is taking care of them,” Kats said.
According to Rusty Price, nobody was surprised to learn that his brother was a convicted sex offender, and he could not have worked with minors because of this. Rusty Price has professed his faith in do-overs.
“You got to know something, I love my brother,” he said. “I love my brother and as a family, we’ve gone through some very tough times. So, on a personal level, this is a tough day.” A convicted sexual offender can find gainful employment in the ministry.
They are required a minimum distance of 300 feet from the children. Because of the importance of protecting people’s freedom of religion, the law makes an exemption in this case. Bond for Bobby Price was set at $175,000, and he was eventually released from jail.
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