PONCHATOULA, La. - From his tire store next door, Donald Moore got an up-close look at the strange changes that went on at the once-bustling Hosanna Church.
For one thing, the congregation had dwindled to a handful of reclusive members who chased away visitors. For another, the windows were painted white so no one could see in. And just before it closed its doors for good a couple of years ago, eight dump trucks came in and spread dirt over the church's back lot.
Last month, the suspicions played out in a way that almost no one in this southeastern Louisiana town of 5,000 could have imagined: Nine people, including the pastor, his wife and a sheriff's deputy, were accused of engaging in cult-like sexual activity with children and animals inside the hall of worship. Eight now face child rape charges that could bring the death penalty.
Authorities said witnesses have described the use of robes, pentagrams on the church floor, sex with a dog and the sacrifice of cats. The alleged victims, suspected to number up to two dozen, include children ranging from infants to young teens - some of them the offspring of those accused.
Investigators say the abuse began in 1999 and continued until the church closed in 2003. But it was not until a woman called from Ohio in April, saying she had fled to protect her child, that police claim they had even an inkling of what was happening. About the same time, the church's pastor, 45-year-old Louis Lamonica, walked into the neighboring Livingston Parish sheriff's office, sat down and, according to investigators, named names and detailed activities inside the church.
Lamonica was arrested, followed by eight others authorities described as central members of the ring. All but one are being held without bond. Even the tipster from Ohio, Nicole Bernard, was arrested on rape charges along with her ex-husband.
Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards said the group apparently had an effective formula for escaping detection: the use of a church, a close-knit relationship between the members and victims unlikely to report abuse to authorities. Edwards stopped short of saying the cult consisted of devil-worshippers but said some of the defendants told investigators that "devil worship was the reason for their participation."
Glynn Fendlason served as pastor of the church, then known as First Assembly of God, from 1982 to 1989, following the death of Lamonica's father, who founded the church. The active membership dispensed thousands of meals to the poor and elderly.
Fendlason said the younger Lamonica, while his father was pastor, was a "good fellow" who played bass guitar, taught Sunday school and worked with youth groups. Some of the other defendants also were active in the church.
After Fendlason resigned as pastor, he said he stayed out of the church's business for fear of disrupting the congregation, but heard that Lamonica, who became pastor in 1994, excommunicated many members, including members of his own family, and increasingly made the church more isolated.
Story
No comments:
Post a Comment