West Chester, Pennsylvania -
A Pennsylvania preacher known for his fire and brimstone sermons denouncing homosexuality has been charged with offering $20 to a 14-year-old boy for oral sex.
The Rev. Stephen White, better known as "Brother Stephen," regularly visited college campuses throughout the north east, often at Penn and Yale, in Connecticut.
White is awaiting trial, with is set for November 24, but police say they are continuing to investigate White and believe he may have victimized more than one juvenile.
"We believe there may be other victims out there, and that this wasn't an isolated incident," West Chester police detective Stan Billie said.
According to court documents, White approached the teen in a green Ford van and asked if he knew of any strip clubs, adult book stores or shops that sold sexually explicit videos. When then the boy said he did not, White unsuccessfully attempted to lure the boy into the vehicle. White then told the boy he could "make some money" by letting White perform oral sex on him.
After the encounter, the boy reported the van's license plate number to his mother, who then contacted the police.
Campus Crusade for Christ leader Erin Hespe agreed that her organization does not collectively support White.
"Brother Stephen is not involved or affiliated with any of the student Christian groups listed on Penn for Jesus," Hespe said. "The general attitude of these Christian groups has been one of distance, given certain aspects of both Brother Steve's theology and methods."
Campus Crusade for Christ is the umbrella organization for Christian groups at Penn.
Cyd Cipolla, a former coordinator of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Cooperative at Yale, said she was in disbelief when she heard about White's alleged sex offense.
"I'm still kind of incredulous," she told the Yale Daily News. "How is it that anyone can engage in something so clearly taboo, especially someone who presents themselves as so entrenched in morality? I feel sorry for this man and for the boy who crossed his path."
White is charged with criminal attempt to lure a child into a motor vehicle, and criminal solicitation to involuntary deviant sexual intercourse.
Last week, a Florida preacher was charged with attempting to lure a 15-year-old boy for sex. Police arrested Hewart Lee Bennett of West Palm Beach. He is accused of using a gay Internet chat room to pick up the teen. Bennett who is an assistant youth minister at the First Seventh Day Adventist Church in West Palm Beach says he was using the chat room to talk to young boys and girls about being gay and try to put them on the "right path."
©365Gay.com® 2003
The Rev. Stephen White, better known as "Brother Stephen," regularly visited college campuses throughout the north east, often at Penn and Yale, in Connecticut.
White is awaiting trial, with is set for November 24, but police say they are continuing to investigate White and believe he may have victimized more than one juvenile.
"We believe there may be other victims out there, and that this wasn't an isolated incident," West Chester police detective Stan Billie said.
According to court documents, White approached the teen in a green Ford van and asked if he knew of any strip clubs, adult book stores or shops that sold sexually explicit videos. When then the boy said he did not, White unsuccessfully attempted to lure the boy into the vehicle. White then told the boy he could "make some money" by letting White perform oral sex on him.
After the encounter, the boy reported the van's license plate number to his mother, who then contacted the police.
Campus Crusade for Christ leader Erin Hespe agreed that her organization does not collectively support White.
"Brother Stephen is not involved or affiliated with any of the student Christian groups listed on Penn for Jesus," Hespe said. "The general attitude of these Christian groups has been one of distance, given certain aspects of both Brother Steve's theology and methods."
Campus Crusade for Christ is the umbrella organization for Christian groups at Penn.
Cyd Cipolla, a former coordinator of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Cooperative at Yale, said she was in disbelief when she heard about White's alleged sex offense.
"I'm still kind of incredulous," she told the Yale Daily News. "How is it that anyone can engage in something so clearly taboo, especially someone who presents themselves as so entrenched in morality? I feel sorry for this man and for the boy who crossed his path."
White is charged with criminal attempt to lure a child into a motor vehicle, and criminal solicitation to involuntary deviant sexual intercourse.
Last week, a Florida preacher was charged with attempting to lure a 15-year-old boy for sex. Police arrested Hewart Lee Bennett of West Palm Beach. He is accused of using a gay Internet chat room to pick up the teen. Bennett who is an assistant youth minister at the First Seventh Day Adventist Church in West Palm Beach says he was using the chat room to talk to young boys and girls about being gay and try to put them on the "right path."
©365Gay.com® 2003
This article originally appeared on 365gay.com. Republished with permission.
