MADISON (WI)
NBC 15
Updated: 6:28 PM Nov 14, 2005
Zac Schultz
Madison: A local pastor is currently in Jail and will be charged in Dane County Court Tuesday afternoon.
The Sheriff's Department made the arrest last Friday. Schara is the minister at both St. Paul's and St. John's Lutheran Church outside Mazomanie.
"On Friday Dane County Deputies arrested Jerald Schara from Mazomanie on tentative charges of possession of child pornography and he's currently being charged in the Dane County Jail," says Dane Co. Sheriff's Department Spokesperson Elis Schaffer.
The Sheriff's Department isn't saying if this child porn bust is connected to a larger case. "That would all be part of the investigation I'm not sure at this point if they're connecting this to anyone else or not," says Schaffer.
Paster George Carlson is Bishop of the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin-Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. "I was deeply saddened to hear of the arrest of the Rev. Jerald Schara on charge of pornography or obscene material. The Evangelical Church in America does not tolerate sexual exploitation or misconduct and we consider these charges very serious. Rev. Schara has been suspended from his pastoral duties as the legal process continues."