BishopAccountability.org
	Pastor Chose Boys Whose Families Weren't Around, Police Say Charleston Daily Mail September 6, 2007 http://www.dailymail.com/story/News/2007090621/Pastor-chose-boys-whose-families-werent-around-police-say/ West Virginia — A pastor accused of sexual assault chose boys whose families were not active at the church, police believe. "Some of the victims believed that they were chosen because when it came down to it, who are you going to believe, the pastor or the boy," said State Trooper M.J. Napier, who is investigating the case. "One of the victims didn't have a father, that's why he feels he was chosen." Sandy Martin Cook, 48, of Belle, is charged with three counts of sexual abuse by a person of trust and 44 counts of third-degree sexual assault. The alleged assaults occurred at his home or in his vehicle along U.S. 60. Cook's alleged victims were boys between the ages of 12 and 17, police have said. Cook is pastor at the Shrewsbury Church of God. Mike Lewis, senior pastor of the New Life Center in Cedar Grove, says he was a victim. Lewis released a statement Tuesday discussing what happened to him and accusing state Church of God leaders of ignoring reports of the abuse. Napier said police believe there are more victims, but the problem is finding them. There are multiple unidentified or partially identified victims based upon the statements of the three victims, he said. But the problem is that all three victims were children. "Because of the time, they can only give me a general area where the person might live or they believe they last lived in, and maybe a first name. It is not enough to track someone down," Napier said. Officials with the Shrewsbury church and the state Church of God did not return repeated phone calls Wednesday, and have not commented publicly on Cook's arrest. Lina Hodge has lived in Shrewsbury for 45 years, and she has been a member of the Shrewsbury Church of God for nearly as long. Her sons helped build the current church building. "I have known Brother Cook since he came to Shrewsbury," she said. "I am sick over this. So are my children. My boys, my grandsons, attended that church at the same time as some of the [victims]." Hodge said she questioned them about the time they spent with Cook. "They said 'Mamaw, we went camping, traveling with Brother Cook.' And never in all that time" did he say or do anything suspicious to them, she said. "I just don't believe it." In 1994, one of the boys' parents found out about Cook's alleged conduct and reported it to the church, according to the criminal complaint against Cook. A meeting was held at a church in Chesapeake, but the allegations were withdrawn and authorities were not notified, according to the complaint. Hodge said she went to the church at that time and doesn't recall anything like that happening. "I have not heard anything about it. I don't get involved in nothing. I just go to worship the Lord," she said. Of Cook's alleged abuses, Lewis said other Church of God leaders knew and covered them up. "The realization of the fact that this person's sexual abuses were brought to the attention of other local Church of God pastors, as well as the State Overseer of the Church of God, and that it was swept under a rug and not reported to the authorities is simply appalling," he said in his statement. "To think that the abuse I suffered and the victims that came after me should not have been, had the Church of God denomination followed the law and reported this first allegation in 1994. They failed to follow the law and I stand here today, with many other victims asking why." "I hope all this comes to an end," said Hodge. "Because I know how the enemy works. He wants to get the top man and then he's in."
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