Ohio News Network
April 23, 2007
http://www.ohionewsnow.com/?sec=news&story=sites/ONN/content/pool/200704/1967991054.html
Delaware, Ohio - A former youth pastor was in court Monday, facing charges that he molested two boys.
Robert Reeves (pictured, right) was charged with nine counts of gross sexual imposition after two boys said Reeves had sexual contact with them when he was their youth pastor.
"Mr. Reeves, it's commendable that you turned yourself in, but until you walked into the courtroom I doubt very much you realized the number of years you are facing," said Judge W. Duncan Whitney.
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Reeves, 41, now faces between one and five years in prison.
"These cases are from a period of time when the victims involved were at a very young age, in fact one victim reports that this abuse started when he was about seven," said Paul Scarello.
The victim is now 17 and his mother, whose identity 10TV is concealing, said her son revealed what happened after trouble in school.
"My son's really hurting right now and having a lot of problems," the victim's mother said.
The boy's mother said her son needed a father figure at the time and that she was at first skeptical of Reeves, but grew to trust him as a church leader.
"He had a lot of dealings with the kids," the mother said. "He's a computer genius and had 10 or 12 computers set up at his house and the kids would all go over there."
Her son told her that the abuse happened then and also at sleepovers at Reeves' home.
It is a reminder that parents must be vigilant in watching who their children associate with, even in the church.
"On the one hand you certainly understand her position as a young mom looking for role models for her son, but it is not a normal thing for an adult to be asking an underage child to spend the night at their home," said prosecutor Dave Yost.
Police said they were concerned that there could be other victims.
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