Sunday, February 06, 2011

Youth Pastor Jeffrey Crosley arrested

JeffreyCrosleyWhile the Pittsburgh Steelers play in the Super Bowl, a Pennsylvania youth pastor sits in jail on charges that he molested and raped at least two boys. There may be as many as 10 victims.

Crosley had volunteered for 10 years at Jesus Messiah Evangelical Free Church in Hanover but recently stopped working there.

Littlestown police arrested Crosley on Thursday, charging him with rape and other offenses. They say he admitted having sexual relationships with about 10 boys.

Crosly will face child pornography charges too. The authorities say they found images on his computer.

His church as taken the typical “circle your wagons” approach to the crisis. Their website is down and “under construction.”

Crosely was not a pastor, nor was he a paid member of staff. He was a volunteer. My question is for the church. Did you clear your volunteers? Did you provide proper oversight? Did you review his access to children?

The church had this to say:

"We are deeply grieved by the revelations of the last few days," Dennis Davis, Jesus Messiah Evangelical Free Church Elder. "It appears great wrong has been done and we hurt deeply for and with the victims, Jeff's family, and one another."