November 16, 2005

Man Files Suit Over Sex Abuse Claims

LAKE WALES (FL)
The Ledger

Gene Francis, a former pastor at the Church of the Nazarene in Lake Wales, is being sued by a man who claims Francis molested him in 2001, when he was 17.

The man, whose identity and age are not disclosed in court documents, filed the lawsuit Monday against Francis, the church and church officials.

In addition to claims of sexual abuse by Francis, the lawsuit alleges church officials were negligent in hiring Francis and "made only a pretense of investigating the charges."

Posted by kshaw at November 16, 2005 08:09 AM