He Is Accused of Having Sexual Relationships with Two Boys, One Who Was 15
By Patrick Wilson
Winston-Salem Journal [North Carolina]
June 24, 2007
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A former Winston-Salem minister was arrested in Wake County on Friday on charges that he had sexual relationships with two boys.
The Rev. Rodney Keith Boothe, 39, was affiliated with the Greater Church of Deliverance on North Cherry Street when he was involved in sexual relationships with the boys, court papers said.
Boothe has been charged with numerous counts of statutory rape, indecent liberties and related charges. He was moved from Raleigh to Winston-Salem yesterday and was being held in the Forsyth County Jail with bond set at $10 million.
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| The Rev. Rodney Keith Boothe was affiliated with the Greater Church of Deliverance. |
It was not clear yesterday exactly what role Boothe held at the church, at 4198 N. Cherry St.
During the investigation, we learned that he was a pastor, said police Capt. David Clayton, the commander of the department criminal-investigations division.
Police are not sure if Boothe was ever paid by the church, Clayton said.
Boothe lives in Winston-Salem but recently had begun a job working for the College Foundation of North Carolina in Raleigh, Clayton said. Deputy U.S. marshals arrested Boothe at work Friday, he said.
Court papers say that Boothe does not have a permanent address.
Alvin Marshall, the chief operating officer of Greater Church of Deliverance, said that Boothe is no longer affiliated with the church.
He was at one time, a period of time ago, Marshall said. Those allegations and accusations - none of it occurred at our church. While he was a part of our church, it did not occur.
Marshall would not say when Boothe was with the church.
The subject of charges against Boothe are alleged to have happened between October 2004 and May 31 of this year, court papers said.
Bishop Freddie B. Marshall, the head pastor, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Winston-Salem police began investigating Boothe after they got a report April 4 from a woman in another state who told them that she suspected that her nephew - then 15 - was having a sexual relationship with Boothe, according to a search-warrant application filed in court.
She told police she checked text messages on her nephew cell phone, which had been given to him by Boothe, and found sexually explicit messages and pictures sent by Boothe to her nephew, the court papers said.
Court papers said that the nephew had lived with Boothe and his family in Winston-Salem at the request of Boothe so that he could try to help the boy get back on track in school.
Police also found evidence that Boothe engaged in sexual activity with another boy from the church, who was 14 at the time, court papers said.
Boothe was charged with six counts of sexual offense by someone in a parental role, 12 counts of statutory rape, four counts of indecent liberties with a child, one count of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of attempted first-degree sexual offense.
Patrick Wilson can be reached at 727-7286 or at pwilson@wsjournal.com.
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