LAKE CRYSTAL (MN)
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A Lake Crystal area pastor was charged Monday with two felony counts of sexual misconduct for alleged acts with a teenage member of his church.
James Michael Holthus, 51, was charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and third-degree criminal sexual conduct. Bail was set at $200,000, with certain conditions, prosecutor Patrick McDermott said.
Defense attorney Christopher Rosengren of Mankato said Holthus "adamantly asserts his innocence" and looked forward to trial. He said Holthus' congregation at Trinity Lutheran Church had already started a legal defense fund.
The boy and his family attended that church in Lake Crystal, according to the criminal complaint. The abuse allegedly began when the boy was 13 and ended in 2002 when he was 16.